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Life Story for Ferdinand J. "Ferd" Zito

Ferdinand J. "Ferd"  Zito
Palm Harbor, FL — Ferdinand Joseph Zito, 91, died Sunday, April 3, 2016 at the Suncoast Hospice care center in Palm Harbor following complications from heart disease.

He leaves his wife of 67 years, Elizabeth A. (Peach) Zito; his sons, Michael, Patrick, Timothy and Sean Zito; his daughter, Mary (Joy) Burnopp; and nine grandchildren. Predeceased by brothers Vincent and Bernard Zito and sisters Rose Flater and Dorothy Goodman.

Ferdinand (Ferd) was a veteran of World War II and served in Europe as an anit-aircraft gun crewman. Born and raised in Pikesville, MD, the son of Sebastian J. Zito and Conradina (Pressprich) Zito, he was a lifelong resident in the area until his retirement to Palm Harbor, Florida in 1999.

In his early years, Ferd worked in his father’s Baltimore grocery store, caddied at Suburban Golf Course and attended Loyola Blakefield high school in Towson. After graduating he was inducted, at age 18, into the United States Army in March 1943. At the war’s end he returned to work at the Zito Food Market, married his wife Elizabeth (Betty) Peach in June, 1948 and started a family. He later opened the Monumental Hotel Supply Company with his brother Bernard. Together they introduced for the first time, portioned controlled meats to many Maryland restaurants, including hamburgers and processed chickens for Gino’s Drive-In Restaurants

Ferd served in the Army’s Battery D, 559th AAA (AW) Battalion as a Private First Class. After shipping out to England and completing duty in France, he then fought in the Central European and Rhineland Campaigns. After the German surrender, he then remained in Europe for occupation duty returning to the United States in January 1946 and honorably discharged. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, American Theater Ribbon, European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon, and the World War II Victory Ribbon.

Ferd was a lifelong fisherman, Maryland boater and avid golfer. He was a member of Sue Haven Yacht Club and the Marionette Yacht Club. He regularly golfed as a member of the Highland Lakes Club in Palm Harbor, Florida.

A devout Catholic, Ferd was also a long time parishioner at St. Charles Borromeo church in Pikesville and recently a member of St. Luke The Evangelist church in Palm Harbor.

The family will receive friends this Friday at Eline Funeral Home in Reisterstown, MD from 3-5pm and 7-9pm. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 23 at 10:30am at St. Isaac Jogues Church in Carney, MD.

Donations, in lieu of flowers, may be made to Hospice Institute of the Florida Suncoast, 5771 Roosevelt Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33760

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US Army
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