Ciro Milazzo Jr.

Ciro Milazzo, Jr. died November 8, 2023 peacefully and of natural causes, surrounded by loving family in Capitola, CA. He is survived by his sister MaryKnoll Sr. Rosemarie Milazzo, six children, Mary Lou, Liz, Ciro W., Katie, Maggie and Tony; 9 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren; many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.Ciro was born in Brooklyn, NY to immigrant Sicilian parents Ciro and Maria (Lofaso) Milazzo. He is predeceased by his wife RoseMarie, his parents and eight siblings. Growing up in Brooklyn, Ciro studied under full scholarships at Stuyvesant High School, Cooper Union (B.S. in Electrical Engineering) and Stanford University (M.S. in Microwave Engineering). After graduating from Cooper Union, Ciro was drafted into the U.S. Army. While in the Army, he fell in love with and married RoseMarie (Eskew) Milazzo. After his army discharge, the young couple moved to California to raise their family. In 1967, they settled in Capitola, within walking distance of the ocean.Ciro worked as an electrical engineer in industry from the late 1950's until the mid-1960's when he transitioned into teaching at Hartnell College, San Jose State and later the University of California at Santa Cruz where he enjoyed teaching and mentoring students in the dual degree program.Ciro was an activist all of his life, speaking out and marching for civil rights, farmworkers rights, against every war and for environmental causes. In his retirement, he was an active community volunteer, gleaning fields and delivering food for Grey Bears, and serving on the Grey Bears board for many years.He was an avid naturalist and loved camping with his children along the California coast, searching out wild dandelions and other native plants, as well as growing them in his yard. Hewas an organic gardener before it was popular, became an amateur mycologist and enthusiastic mushroom hunter. He loved to make wine of all varieties and delighted in sharing the tide pools and natural history of the California coastline withfamily and friends.Ciro always loved music. He was raised Catholic and attended mass for many years at Resurrection Church in Aptos, where he could be found playing his banjo at the Sunday folk mass. In the last decades of his life, he was part of many musical groups and, rain or shine, could be found Sunday morning at the Capitola Bandstand, playing harmonica and ukulele with his friends.Ciro was many things to many people. He was a warm and generous family member, a teacher and a scholar, always willing to help, an active community member and musical enthusiast with a love of nature and a wonderful sense of humor. Ciro was fond of saying, "Life is good!" At the end of his long and wonderful life, he will be fondly remembered, loved and missed by his family and his many friends.There will be a life-celebration for family & friends, with music and refreshments, 2:00-5:00 pm Saturday, January 20, 2024 at the Mid-County Senior Center, 829 Bay Ave., Capitola, CA.There will also be a funeral mass at 8:00 am, same date, at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, 515 Frederick Street, Santa Cruz, CA. In lieu of gifts his family requests donations to Grey Bears of Santa Cruz County, the Mid-County Senior Center, Habitat for Humanity or Hospice of Santa Cruz.