Joseph Frank Gatt

Joseph Frank Gatt passed away peacefully on May 22nd with his loving wife, Krista, by his side. He was born on May 30, 1941, in Ismailia, Egypt to Francis Gatt (of Maltese origin) and Lucia Sciarra (of Italian heritage). He was a longtime resident of Great Falls, VA.
Joe's career began in the 1960's when he became an executive at Pan American Airways after receiving a B.A. from Hunter College. Through Pan Am, he was stationed in Vietnam as a civilian, coordinating military furloughs during the war and later in Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). While based in Kinshasa, he increased and expanded Pan Am's reach on the African continent. That experience also included hotel operations and new hotel development for Intercontinental Hotels (a subsidiary of Pan Am at the time) where he ultimately headed its entire African development department. He was also President and CEO of Air Zaire as part of Pan Am's Technical Assistance Program.
Joe is widely known as a cell phone pioneer, being the first to bring cellular telecommunications to the African continent and eventually launching cell phone service to 13 African nations through his cellular companies, including Telecel International, which he founded in the 1980's.
In his later years, Joe relied on his many contacts and business acumen to build thousands of affordable homes in Africa. With his long experience and infectious optimism, he had so much to offer and never considered retirement, feeling there was so much more he could still do.
A true adventurer at heart, Joe's favorite hobby was piloting his own plane. He felt a sense of peace and freedom in the cockpit high above the clouds. He is a record-holding pilot who flew all over the world in his Pilatus PC-12 and later in his Cessna Bravo. His flying repertoire included more than 7,000 flight hours and a wealth of entertaining aviation stories.
Joe leaves behind his wife, Krista Gatt (née Eazarsky), and son, Joseph Edward Gatt, to whom he has passed his love of flying, as well as daughters Sharon Elizabeth Gatt of Walla Walla, WA and Karen Josephine Gatt of Boulder, CO and four grandchildren.
Family, friends, and colleagues are invited to the Money and King Funeral Home in Vienna, VA on Wednesday, May 29th where visiting hours will be held from 10 AM to 12 PM, followed by a memorial service in Joe's honor.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Kidney Fund. https://www.kidneyfund.org/