William Donald "Bill" Tortoriello Sr.

WILLIAM DONALD "BILL" TORTORIELLO SR. Cortez resident, William Donald "Bill" Tortoriello Sr., passed away at Southwest Memorial Hospital, Cortez, Colo. on Saturday, April 2, 2016 at the age of 95. The family has chosen cremation without services. Bill was born on March 25, 1921 in Chicago, Ill. the son of William Donald Tortoriello Sr. and Johanna (Baraglio) Tortoriello. Bill married Betty Ann Mabb on April 18, 1944. He served in the United States Air Force as a B24 pilot during World War II. Following the war he worked for United Airlines until he was recalled to serve during the Berlin Air Lift. Bill traveled extensively throughout the world in search of replacement parts for U.S. cargo planes still in active service for which parts were no longer manufactured. He spoke Russian, German and Vietnamese and also devoted hours as a volunteer with the American Red Cross. He remained in the military field until retirement. A tribute from Bill's grandson (Austin McCracken): "From the trips to McDonald's with all my siblings, to building trains in the back bedroom of your apartment, to the times feeding ducks at the park, to building model airplanes while listening to stories, to looking at pictures and documents you got from many years in the service, to all the holidays spent together, to the last few times when I got to see you and visit with you there was never a dull moment being around you Papa Bill! I've made memories with you from before I can hardly remember to ones just a few months ago that'll never leave me! You put so many smiles on so many faces and lived a very exciting, eventful, and productive 95 years! I love you Papa Bill and will never forget you! Bill is survived by his children, Terri Lawson (Brian Lopez) of Mancos, Colo. and William Donald Tortoriello (Nila) of Cortez, Colo.; his step-grandsons, Cody Lopez (Kaitlyn) of Cortez and Brad McCracken (Barbara) of Lewis; by 5 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren; and by his brother, Anthony Tortoriello of Greenville, S.C. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William and Johanna Tortoriello Sr. and his wife, Betty Tortoriello. Memorial contributions may be made in William Tortoriello Sr.'s name to the American Red Cross.