Martin D. Ignazito's Obituary
CHARLESTON, IL - Martin Donald Ignazito, age 77 of Charleston, passed away on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 while in the comfort of his rural Charleston home. Visitation for family and friends will be held Saturday, February 20, 2016 from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. at Adams Funeral Chapel in Charleston. Memorial Services honoring and celebrating his life will begin at 2:00 p.m. immediately following the visitation at the funeral chapel. It is requested that thoughtful donations in his honor be made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Gifts may be left during the visitation or service or may be mailed to Adams Funeral Chapel, 2330 Shawnee Dr., Charleston, IL 61920. Marty was born November 12, 1938 in Chicago, IL to the late Dominic and Dorothy (Weinberg) Ignazito. He married Madeline D. Pigage on February 15, 1969 in New Jersey. He is survived by Madi, his loving wife of almost 47 years; their two daughters, Karen Cripps and husband Jeff of Carterville, IL and Susan Ignazito-Wilhelm and husband Brett of St. Louis, MO; 4 grandchildren, Zoe and Olivia Cripps and Gavin and Graham Wilhelm; his three sisters; Linda Emmerman-Kornick and husband John of Chicago, Yvonne Lemire and her children of St. Genevieve, MO and Melanie Ignazito-Cooper and husband Bill of Ferguson, MO; and two dear friends, Gene Hackett and Harprit Sandhu. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his stepfather, Sol Emmerman and his stepmother, Stacia Ignazito. Marty attained his Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois. He was a partner of Sandhu & Associates in Champaign and was an engineer at Eastern Illinois University before returning to his alma mater where he was employed as the Chief Mechanical Engineer of Operations and Maintenance at the University of Illinois. His professional memberships included the Illinois Institutional Chief Engineer and Refrigeration Service Engineers Society. Marty also held membership at the Windsor Rod and Gun Club and an airplane club based in Hartford, CT. Marty had a passion for motorized vehicles -both on the ground and in the air. He raced cars and rode motorcycles but his true passion was flying. He held his private pilot's license and flew powered parachutes as well as 2 and 4 seater airplanes. His knowledge of aviation was put to good use as he educated others through his monthly articles published in Aero Connections Magazine and Experimental Aircraft and through his own published technical book titled Salt-Straight and Level Talk, which was a collection of his articles. Marty shared his engineering knowledge through the design, manufacturing and distribution of a skyhook and braking system for powered parachutes for which he was known internationally, and in constructing model steam engines. He was also a talented musician who was a member of a bluegrass band and could play the banjo, steel guitar, mandolin and ukulele. Marty was extremely devoted to his family and his love for them was unconditional. He was a truly special husband, father, grandfather, brother, and good friend to many.Click to view Family Memorial Video. SERVICES Visitation Saturday, February 20, 2016 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Adams Funeral Chapel 2330 SHAWNEE DR CHARLESTON, Illinois 61920 Memorial Service Saturday, February 20, 2016 2:00 PM Adams Funeral Chapel 2330 SHAWNEE DR CHARLESTON, Illinois 61920
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