Normand V. Ferdinando

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Normand V. Ferdinando, 79, of Boca Raton and a summer resident of Rye, N.H., died in Hilton Head, S.C., on Sunday, Sept. 2, 2012, surrounded by family. He was a retired U.S. Army officer and decorated combat veteran.

Born to Germaine and Vincent Ferdinando and raised in Manchester, N.H., he was a graduate of Manchester Central High School, New Hampton School and graduated with a B.S. degree in business from the University of New Hampshire in Durham, N.H., and an MBA from Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne.

His military education included being a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College, the Army Logistics College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C.

A 1958 graduate of the UNH Army ROTC program and a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity during his college years, Colonel Ferdinando's military career included tours of duty in Hawaii and Laos, company commander in Vietnam with the 1st Brigade 101st Airborne Division and senior army logistics adviser to the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces in the early 1970s.

During his military career, he was awarded the Bronze Star with the two Oak Leaf Clusters; Meritorious Service Medal with a two Oak Leaf Cluster; Army Commendation Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; National Defense Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster; Presidential Unit Citation; Meritorious Unit Citation; Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, two awards; Vietnam Service Medal with seven Battle Stars; Vietnam Campaign Medal; the Armed Forces Reserve Medal and the U.S. Army Parachutists Badge.

Family members include Suzanne Dixon and her husband, James Dixon, of Hilton Head, S.C.; granddaughter Lindsay McNabb and her husband, Ian McNabb, of Fort Mill, S.C.; and granddaughter Kimberly Dixon of Manhattan; brothers former state Sen. Richard Ferdinando and wife Barbara of Manchester, N.H., and Lee Ferdinando of Florida; sister Carita Eugene of Manchester, N.H.; his favorite nephews, Keith Ferdinando of Andover, Mass., and Mark and Greg Ferdinando of Manchester, N.H., and his companion Pat Langley of Rye, N.H.; and numerous other cousins nieces and nephews located throughout the U.S. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Kimberly Lynn Ferdinando, and his brother, Paul Ferdinando.

Services and burial will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made to the Army Emergency Relief, 200 Stovall St., Alexandria, VA 22332, aerhg.org.

The Island Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements. Online at theislandfuneralhome.com.