Frank Longiotti, 84, of Meadville, died Saturday, May 30, 2009, in Meadville at the home and in the care of his sister, Rose Brockelhurst, and his niece, Pam Brockelhurst.

Born Jan. 1, 1925, in Shenango Township, he was a son of Allessandro and Mary Sbrocchi Longiotti. On July 2, 1949, he married Leona Horn; she preceded him in death Dec. 3, 2006.

He was a 1942 graduate of Shenango-Jamestown High School.

He retired after 47 years at Talon, and owned and operated Frank’s TV Repair Shop.

He served with the U.S. Army 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, participating in two combat jumps in Normandy and Holland and then receiving the Purple Heart medal.

He enjoyed bowling, golfing and computers.

He was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and the 82nd Airborne.

Survivors include one daughter-in-law, Noreen Lee of Saegertown; two sons, Jon Lee and his wife, Carol, of Huntsville, Ala., and Frank Longiotti and his wife, Mary, of Titusville; three grandchildren, Robert Lee, Gina Lee-Whitmer and Mara Bailey; three great-grandchildren, Alex Lee, Mat Bailey and Lily Bailey; five sisters, Josephine Wilson of Comanche, Texas, Ruthie Brown and her husband, Wendall, of Evansville, Minn., Theresa Longiotti of Myrtle Beach, S.C., Natalie Knop and her husband, Fred, of Aurora, Ohio, and Rose Brockelhurst of Meadville; two brothers, John Longiotti and his wife, Peg, of Greenville, and Pete Longiotti and his wife, Carmel, of Greenville; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his wife and his parents, he was preceded in death by one stepson, Robert J. Lee; and two sisters, Florence Girardeau and her husband, Jerry, and Mary Radicella and her husband, James.

A memorial service is Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Hatheway-Tedesco Funeral Home, 614 Baldwin St., Meadville, with Pastor David Brumagin of Trinity United Methodist Church of Conneaut Lake officiating.

Interment will be in Beechwood Cemetery.

The family suggests memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Crawford County.

Condolences may be e-mailed to the family at tedesco@zoominternet.net.

Published in Meadville Times Tribune, May 31, 2009

(courtesy of Ken & Cecelia Heitzenrater

Grave marker for Frank and Leona Longiotti in the Beechwoods Cemetery, Falls Creek (Jefferson county), Pennsylvania.

Frank enlisted in the Army at Erie, PA on 5 April 1943 and after completion of jump school at Ft. Benning was transferred to the 508th PIR where he was assigned to Company C.

Pvt Longiotti jumped into Normandy on 6 June 1944 and, in his words, "I came back without a scratch".

His combat in Holland was another story as, then a Pfc, he was shot in the chest on 18 September 1944.  After 4 months in a field hospital he was transferred to the U.S. for further medical treatment. He was discharged on 22 June 1945.