John Joseph Ciochetty

John Joseph Ciochetty

John Joseph Ciochetty, the patriarch of the Ciochetty family, earned his angel wings on July 11th, 2024, following a brief illness at the age of 97.

John was born in 1927 Parkersburg, WV, along 3rd Street, to Teresa Angelica and Giovanni Baptiste Ciochetty, Italian immigrants who both came to America in the early 20th century through what is now Ellis Island; he was godson to “Tootsie” Brosalti, a local produce shopkeeper. John filled his early childhood with innocent shenanigans with his best friend, Paul Borelli, who later became a well-known local photographer. He attended St. Xavier Elementary School, being an altar boy from 1937 through 1942 at St. Xavier Catholic Church. Later, he attended Parkersburg High School, graduating PHS in the Spring of 1946. During high school, a time when labor was in short supply due to World War II, John worked at Hupp and Wharton dealership in their Service Department, where he learned auto mechanics. When John was chided by his father for using the family car to cruise the Parkersburg area without a driver’s license, John’s father removed the ignition coil to prevent John from making that mistake again; the ever-innovative John junior simply built another ignition coil, much to the family’s dismay, thus proving his determination and stubbornness.

After working a few years after graduation at The Gem Shop and Mills Jewelers as an engraver and watch repairer, he joined the West Virginia National Guard in 1947 as a member of the 1092nd Engineer Combat Battalion. In 1949, he went active duty with the US Air Force, completing his basic training at Lackland AFB, then to Keesler and Wright-Patterson AFBs for radio school to learn Morse code and flight operations as a radio/telephone operator. He was then transferred to Reykjavik, Iceland for forward duties in support of logistics during the Korean War. After his discharge from Hamilton AFB in California, he made his way back to Parkersburg WV where he met the Love of his life, Mary Ann Williams, marrying in 1954. They initially settled in Vienna, WV where he also became a volunteer fireman for the city of Vienna.

While starting a family, he also started working at Kaiser Aluminum in Ravenswood, WV, since April 1956, first working in oil reclamation then finishing in the storeroom, retiring after 32 years. There were many tales of pranks amongst his co-workers that keep the work efficiency and morale high. While raising his boys in Belpre, Ohio, there was never a toaster, a television set, or a lawn mower that went unrepaired, instilling a strong work ethic within his sons John, David, and Steven. John cherished watching each of his sons’ at work in “The Pride of Belpre” High School Marching Band. After retiring from Kaiser, he and his Love re-located to Murrell’s Inlet, SC, a small town described as “a drinking village with a fishing problem” where he didn’t drink nor fish; unfortunately, his Love passed in 1995, but he quickly befriended two other recent widowers, Bob Ripley and James (Jim) Driesch. Together, they became the Three Musketeers of the Grand Strand, taking numerous international cruises and suffering through innumerable hurricanes that affected the Pee Dee region, much to the chagrin of their families. Bob was the first to pass, so Jim and John stayed together, even moving to Bowling Green KY to be closer to both families in 2021.

Jim’s passing in 2021 meant the last Musketeer lived with his Bowling Green family, regaling the stories from years past (the 1937 Parkersburg flood, playing baseball in the land of the midnight sun in Iceland, and driving through foot-high snow to his job in Ravenswood), basking in the excited laughter of his great grandchildren, and enjoying his collection of steel-cast cars. He still enjoyed reading novels, savored the occasional stopover to Mission Barbecue, and loved the freshest coffee in Warren County at Providence Coffee House and Market Place.

John is preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Rosalyn, his wife Mary Ann, and his best friends Jim Driesch and Bob Ripley. He is survived by his sons John of Delaware OH, David (Robin) of Bowling Green KY, and Steven (Lisa) of Piperton TN, plus grandchildren Amanda, Tavis, Colin, and Mary. He loved the energy shown him by his great-grandchildren Kamryn, Gavin, Mary “Brie”, Charlotte, Everly, Boone, and Amelia.

Per his request, no formal visitation or funeral services will be held. He has chosen cremation to be coordinated by Cone Funeral Home of Bowling Green, KY, then a private military graveside service for family in Parkersburg, WV, where he will be inurned with his wife in Mt Carmel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family would encourage contributions to Murrells Inlet 2020 (843-357-2007) or Hospice of Southern Kentucky (270-746-9300).