Cristofori, 83 North Port, FLA - Ronald "Cris" O. Cristofori (Lt. Col. USAF Ret)passed away on Jun. 26, 2015 at his residence in North Port, FL. "Cris" was the son of Oreste and Venusta (Corticelli) Cristofori. He was born on Sep. 11, 1931 in Wellesley, Mass. Cris spent some of his early years in Cento (Italy) and then returned to his home in Wellesley, Mass. where he played sports at school along with his hobbies of wood working, building model airplanes, and practicing his knuckle ball at Gamaliel Radford. After graduation he attended night school in Boston to learn radio mechanics until the Korean War when he read the Air Force needed pilots. Cris joined the program of aviation cadets. Graduating in class 53-D at Goodfellow and Williams AFB in Arizona, his career in the Air Force began at New Castle Air Force Base in Delaware where he met and married Charline Carroll in May of 1956. From there his military stints took him to various assignments including a chilly year in Thule, Greenland along with doing 100 missions over North Vietnam; after which he spent the next 5 years ferrying parts and supplies to Southeast Asia and returning with the sorrowful casualties to Dover Air Force Base. Cris sowed courtesy and respect to all those he met and reaped friendship and love from all those who knew him. He was the embodiment of a pure heart and good cheer, the essence of virtue. Upon retirement he and Charline moved to North Port, Fla. in 1996. He was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and the Blood Bank. He continued to be active in the Military Officers Association of America and served on the Board of Directors for the Venice chapter. He was also a member of the American Legion, The Air Force Association, the North Port Area Republican Club, Aircraft owners and Pilots Association and the Veteran's of Foreign War. He was a devout Catholic and member of the San Pedro Catholic Church in North Port. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Claire Shakespeare; and brother, Francis Cristofori. Cris is survived by his wife, Charline; and their three children, Charon Cristofori of Tampa, Fla., Scott Cristofori of Sarasota, Fla. and Carla Cristofori of Madeira Beach, Fla. They have one granddaughter, Alessandra Leith of St. Petersburg, Fla. Services will be held July 10th at 2:00 p.m. at Sarasota National Cemetery after which there will be a Celebration of his Life at Mattison's on 41 in Sarasota. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in his name to TideWell hospice, In., 210 Wexford Blvd., Venice, FL 34293 or any charity of your choice.