ELKHART -- Col. Robert Joseph Ferroli, 77, of Elkhart, died at 8:30 p.m. Sunday (April 6, 2008) at home after an extended illness.

He was born April 23, 1930, in Boston, Mass., to John Anthony and Lena (Lucchini) Ferroli. He married Ruby J. Porter on June 15, 1952, at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Boston.

She survives along with one son, John A. (Irma) Ferroli of Grand Rapids, Mich.; four daughters, Diane (Scott) Bles of Midland, Texas, Laura Jabeck of Buffalo Grove, Ill., Catherine Ferroli of South Bend and Milissa (Dave) Peffley of Granger; seven grandchildren; and two sisters, Emily (Bill) Duserick of Cape Cod, Mass., and Claire Krebaum of Marshall, Mo.

Col. Ferroli was preceded in death by two brothers, William and Richard Ferroli.

Friends may call from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St., Elkhart, with a vigil service at 6:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 1405 N. Main St., Elkhart, where friends may call for a half hour prior to the Mass. The Rev. Bill Sullivan of St. Thomas will officiate with full Army military honors to be rendered at the church following the Mass. Burial will be at noon Monday in Fort Custer National Cemetery, Augusta, Mich.

Col. Ferroli was a 1948 graduate of Boston English High School. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Boston College in 1952 and his Master's of Business Administration in Marketing from Babson College.

He was a graduate of Military Management, Command and General Staff College. He served in the U.S. Army for 34 years in various stations and retired in 1981 with the rank of Colonel.

Col. Ferroli served active duty in the Army from 1952 to 1954 and again in 1961 to 1962. He then continued to serve with the Army National Guard and Army Reserves. He was presented with the following military awards: Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal and Reserve Component Achievement Medal.

Col. Ferroli formerly worked as the Marketing Manager for Cutler-Hammer in Milwaukee, Wis., Stanley Works New Britain, Kinkead Industries in Chicago and L.E. Johnson in Elkhart. He also ran his own firm, retiring in 2000.

He was a member of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Elkhart and was a Third and Fourth Degree member of the Elkhart Knights of Columbus. He was past president, from 1998 to 1999, and a member of the Department of Indiana Reserve Officers Association.

Col. Ferroli was a devoted husband, father and grandfather who loved his family deeply. He will be dearly missed.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials please be directed to Building for God's Teaching Capital Campaign care of St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 1405 N. Main St., Elkhart, IN 465147 or The Center for Hospice and Palliative Care, 111 Sunnybrook Lane, South Bend, IN 46637. Visit www.billingsfuneralhome.com to send online condolences.

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