Ermano "Gary" Garaventa, 96, the husband of the late Mary (Rutherford) Garaventa died peacefully on Wednesday (December 2, 2009) at Manchester Memorial Hospital surrounded by his family. Gary was born in Vigevano, Lombardi, Italy and had lived in Manchester from the age of two. He was a 1931 graduate of Manchester High School and the Class of 1935 at MIT with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. In 1936 he began work at Hamilton Standard serving as a Chief Blade Engineer and then becoming the Chief Experimental Engineer. He later was made a factory manager, worked in the space program, international sales and licensing retiring in 1975. In 1952 he helped in the creation of the Hamilton Standard Federal Credit Union. Gary formerly served on the Board of Directors for the Savings Bank of Manchester, was an incorporator at Manchester Memorial Hospital, a member of the St. James School Foundation and the local Alzheimer's support group. Gary is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Mary Ann and Arthur Burkard of West Hartford, his son and daughter-in-law John F. and Marie L. Garaventa of Manchester, and his daughter-in-law Marie A. Garaventa, the wife of Gary's son the late David Garaventa. He is also survived by his grandchildren Ann Marie Cricco, David Burkard, Matthew Burkard, Andrew Garaventa, Lauren Garaventa, Denise Granger, David Garaventa and Julie Garaventa; seven great-grandchildren Elizabeth, Marc, Nicholas, Olivia, Mackenzie, Mallary and Mason, and his great-great grandson James. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday (December 5th) at 10 am at St. James Church 896 Main St. Manchester followed by burial in St. James Cemetery, Manchester. Family and friends may call at the John F. Tierney Funeral Home 219 West Center St. Manchester TODAY from 4-7 pm. Memorial donations in Mr. Garaventa's name may be made to the Manchester Scholarship Foundation 20 Hartford Road Manchester, CT 06040.