Yolo-Sacramento County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....RAVIOTTA , Joseph Willard July 10 2002 ********************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/obits/ca/obitsca.htm ********************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Peggy B. Perazzo pbperazzo@comcast.net August 12, 2004, 11:48 pm "The Davis Enterprise," Sunday, July 14, 2002 Joseph W. Raviotta Joseph Willard Raviotta died on July 10, 2002, at his home in Yolo. He was 71 years old. He was born on Jan. 25, 1931 in Sacramento to Joseph and Lila (Willard) Raviotta. He attended Arden Grammar School and Grant High School in Sacramento where he played varsity football. After graduating in 1948, he continued to work in the construction industry as a carpenter. He then joined the United State Army in 1952 and attended Military Police Officer school where he earned awards and commendations for marksmanship in pistol and riflery. He was then assigned to duty in Germany where he continued to serve until 1954 and took up boxing as a sport. He returned to California after the Korean conflict and continued in the contracting business working for such companies as Unger Construction and Broward Bros. Construction. He then worked with Bill Brown before starting his own construction company, Casa Bella Construction Company. He specialized in building custom homes in Davis, El Macero and Woodland. An avid sports fan, he enjoyed watching the 49ers, basketball and football. When he wasn't working or watching sports, he could be found fishing, hunting, golfing and flying radio controlled aircraft. He had a great love of aviation, which he extended into private aviation flying out of Yolo County Airport. He obtained a private pilot's license. A member of Yolo Sportsman Association, he could always be counted on as camp cook during his annual out-of-state hunting trips. He was known for his meatballs, cioppino and home-made wine. Sharing time and experiences with his family was his passion in life. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Jim Raviotta. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Arlene (Vizenor) Raviotta; son Joseph C. Raviotta and his wife Nancy of Woodland; daughter Teresa Keon and her husband Mike of Placerville; daughter Tina Winger of Yolo. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Gina Olson and her husband Ethan of Pollock Pines, Angie Williams and her husband Trent of Placerville, Mike Keon and his wife Melissa of Wendell, N.C., Sierra and Joseph J. Raviotta of Woodland and Stephanie and Natalie Winger of Yolo. He is also survived by great-grandchildren Sophia Olson of Pollock Pines and Kylie Keon of Wendell, N.C. He is further survived by a brother John Raviotta and his wife Patty of Sacramento; sisters Ninfa Selander and her spouse Hub of Coos Bay, Ore., and Lila Mapes and her husband Jerry of Sedro Wooley, Wash. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive him. A funeral service will be July 16, 2002, at 10 a.m. at Kraft. Bros. Chapel, 175 Second St. in Woodland. Visitation will be from 9 to 10 a.m. that same day. Internment at Mary's Cemetery, 12020 County Road 98, Yolo, will immediately follow. Deacon Ed Kull will be officiating. The family requests that memorial donations be made to Yolo County Hospice, P.O. Box 1014, Davis, CA 95617. Kraft Bros. Funeral Directors of Woodland is assisting the family with arrangements. Additional Comments: Submitted with the permission of the "The Davis Enterprise," 315 G Street, Davis, CA 95616. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/obits/gob1198raviotta.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/caobfiles/ File size: 3.8 Kb