Edward C. Bavaria

Edward C. Bavaria, age 93, died peacefully at his home in Sarasota, Florida, on August 29, 2025, comforted by his family and beloved caregivers in his last days. Ed was born in 1932 to the late Joseph Bavaria and Jennie (Giaconda Tarsi) Bavaria. Both were immigrants from the Marche region of Italy; Joseph from Pesaro and Jennie from Corinaldo. Joseph came to the United States at age 18 and settled in Wind Gap, a small town in the Slate Belt of Eastern Pennsylvania, where he immediately went to work in the quarry. There, Joseph and Jennie raised seven children – six sons and one daughter. Three of Ed’s older brothers enlisted in the Armed Forces during World War II. They were proud to be a 3-Blue Star family. Ed attended Pen Argyl High School and was named “Alumnus of the Year” at his 50th high school reunion. He transferred to Valley Forge Military Academy during his junior year, earning a music scholarship for his talent on the clarinet. From there, he matriculated to the United States Military Academy at West Point and graduated in 1954. After graduating from West Point, Ed transferred to flight training at the Greenville, Mississippi, Air Force base. There, he met Elizabeth Jane Swank, his future bride. They were married on June 9, 1956. For the next five years, Ed was a rapidly rising Air Force pilot in Strategic Air Command’s “new” B-52 program, which was active during the Cold War. In 1961, at the age of 29, he made the decision to join the General Electric Aircraft Engine Group. He moved his family to Cincinnati, Ohio, while continuing to serve his country as a reservist. With the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, he was immediately sent for duty as a parachute pilot; thankfully, he returned quickly to resume his career at General Electric. For the next 31 years, his assignments included managing the GE enterprises in Bonn, Germany; Paris, France; and London, England. He traveled to 92 countries as the Global Leader of Sales and Marketing for GE and ultimately was named Executive Vice President of General Electric Aviation. Ed was part of a revolutionary team at General Electric that defined Jet Engine Aviation in the late 20th Century. Even to this day, most engines powering aircraft are supplied by the fruitfulness of that collaborative work. In 2015 Ed was inducted into the GE Aerospace Propulsion Hall of Fame. Because his work took him around the world, he became a man of the people and could relate to anyone from disparate cultures and life experiences. Ed left retirement to serve as president of Douglas Aircraft Corporation until his second retirement in 1997. Ed’s integrity, sense of fairness, and dedication had an immense impact on all those with whom he worked. Ed served as Chairman of the Board for Biolife, a local Sarasota company. He was also a Board Director for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach campus. Ed was deeply civic-minded. Because music played such an important role in his own story, he served on the Opera and Symphony Boards in Cincinnati. When he and Jane retired to Sarasota, Ed served on the Board of Directors of the Sarasota Opera and was Chairman for two terms. The Sarasota Opera was his home away from home. Ed was also fun to be around. His spirit was bright and playful, a storyteller of the first order. He reveled in bursting into song, which could be opera, big band, or bawdy French drinking tunes. And he loved to toast…just about anything! When Jane, his wife of 63 years, died on April 9, 2019, he was lost. A devout Catholic his entire life, he took solace from his faith and remained active and involved in the lives of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Ed is survived by his four children: son Joseph E. Bavaria, Philadelphia; and daughters Celeste Bavaria Denton (Alan), Naples, Florida; Cynthia (Cindy) Bavaria Bernardin (Rob) Evansville, Indiana; and Jennifer Bavaria Pearson (Jeff), Evergreen, Colorado, and 11 grandchildren; Robbie Bernardin (Stephanie), Audrey Bernardin (Ed Paulsen), Melanie Bavaria (Josh Elkind), Christina Bernardin (Jon Amar), Tatum Denton O’Dea (Dillon), Elizabeth Denton, Edward Bavaria (Emily), Eleanor Pearson, Joseph Bernardin, Jack Pearson, Hailey Denton, and great-grandchildren, Theodore Bernardin, Sam Paulsen, Adalie Elkind, Luke Bernardin, Jane Bernardin, and Dorothy and Tatum Paulsen. The Bavaria children and the extended family members gratefully acknowledge the love and devotion of all those who helped Ed “in sickness and in health,” over many years, Malgo Lewandowski, and especially his primary caregivers, Lucja and Marian Homik. To celebrate Ed’s love of life, love of family, and his deep faith in God, please gather on Saturday morning, October 25, at ten o’clock, at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 2506 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota, FL 34231, to visit with his family and share remembrances, followed immediately by the Funeral Liturgy, presided over by Father Nick Thompson and concelebrated by Ed’s longtime friend Father Don Henry. After the service, the family would like you to join them for a reception at the Sarasota Opera House. Memorial gifts are welcome to the Sarasota Opera or to St. Thomas More Catholic Church. Expressions of sympathy may be made online at Toale Brothers (toalebrothers.com).

Tributes

Edward C. Bavaria

August 29, 2025