Raymond Alexander Firmani

RAYMOND ALEXANDER FIRMANI
September 19, 1921 – July 20, 2025
Delaware has lost one of our longest living World War II veterans.
Raymond Alexander Firmani, 103 years old, of Elsmere, Delaware, passed away peacefully at Accent Care Hospice in Christiana Hospital on Sunday, July 20, 2025.
Ray proudly served our Country in World War II, achieving the rank of 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corp. as a B-17 pilot, completing 25 bombing missions against the Nazis, nineteen of which as lead crew. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on April 24, 1945, for his extraordinary service and was inducted into the Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame in June 2017 for gallantry in service to the First State and to the nation. He was also honored by the Town of Elsmere as a "Hometown Hero" with a banner displayed on Kirkwood Highway and was one of the first veterans to have his name inscribed in the Elsmere Veterans Memorial Park on Veterans Day 2016. Ray was also named an Honorary Commander of the Delaware National Guard Aviation in 2024.
His extraordinary life story as the eldest son of poor Italian immigrants growing up in Wilmington and his experiences in World War II was published in a book titled, Against All Odds: The Ray Firmani Story by Mitch Topal.
Ray was employed with the DuPont Company until his retirement in 1986. He was also an award-winning photographer and a member of the Delaware Photographic Society since 1957.
Ray was born on September 19, 1921, the eldest son of the late Alexander Firmani and Elisa Brandi Firmani (Ciunci). Ray was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Elaine, his eldest son, R. Charles Firmani, and granddaughter Kristen Firmani. Ray was also preceded in death by his five siblings: Dominick Firmani, Sr., Cipriano ("Chip") Firmani, Alessandrina ("Sandy") Ciunci Ignudo, Albert Ciunci, and Joseph Ciunci, and nephew Dominick Firmani, Jr.
Ray is survived by his son, Richard Alan Firmani and his wife Melody of Long Island, New York; grandchildren: Angela Firmani Case, R. Charles Firmani, Jr., Kevin Firmani, and Aimee Firmani; 8 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. Also surviving him are nephews and nieces: Alex Firmani, James Firmani, Tony Firmani, Marian Firmani, Colette Firmani McDonald, B.G. Firmani, Dominic Ciunci, Carla Ciunci, Thomas Ignudo, III, Diane Ignudo Stephenson, and Joann Ignudo Personti of Elsmere, who along with her husband, James Personti, Sr., were Ray's primary caregivers.
Ray was always known to say, "A stranger is a friend you haven't met." It would be impossible to name all of Ray's friends; however, we wish to mention a few friends who also provided care to Ray, or would treat him to his favorite hamburger from "the little girl" (Wendy's), dinner at Mrs. Robino's, or the "BBQ" (Mission Barbecue), over the last several years: Gen. Francis Vavala US Army (Ret'd) Past Adjutant General of Delaware, and his wife, Jane, Nick Cammaroto, Sal and Anne Muzzi, Danny and Louise Mochocki, Mark Spitelli, and all his Vilone Village neighbors who always looked out for him or would just stop by to say hello, in particular, Jeff Morrison and the late Jeff Bohner.
Ray was often asked his secret to living a long life. He always responded, "I just keep moving – it is harder to hit a moving target."
The family wishes to thank Ray's Bayada home care team, in particular, Claire, Hannah, Victoria, Stephanie, and Lashay, for their loving care and attention, as well as Dr. Liu and the Accent Care Hospice team for their kind attention in his final days.
Visitation will be held at Krienen-Griffith Funeral Home, 1400 Kirkwood Hwy., Wilm., DE, on Tuesday, July 29 from 6:00 pm -8:00pm. A second viewing will be held at the funeral home on July 30 from 10:00am -11:00am followed by a Catholic funeral service at 11:00 and burial with military honors at the Delaware Veterans Cemetery at 1:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to support student veterans in memory of Ray Firmani to Delaware Tech, P.O. Box 897, Dover, DE 19903 or online at http://go.dtcc.edu/Firmani