Sunday, September 05, 2010

Joseph Deluca 9/11/01


I have the honor of paying tribute to Joseph Deluca. He was killed on Flight 93 on September 11th. His girlfriend Linda Gronlund was also onboard Flight 93. Joseph was a Computer program designer, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare. For Joseph Deluca cars were a preoccupation. He raced them, ran clubs for them, drew them, wrote about them and talked about them. A board member of the northern New Jersey chapter of the Sports Car Club of America, he wrote and edited the group's newsletter. For years, that newsletter and other publications included his creation "The Adventures of Raymond the Cat," a single-panel cartoon about the travails of a road-rallying, windbreaker-wearing cat.

Some messages I found to Joseph from friends and loved ones:
Jim Shimalla. Thanks Joe DeLuca. We will never forget you.
Brian, Joyce, Debbie and Katie Zuilkowski, NER/SCCA. In memory of friends and heroes, especially Linda Gronlund and Joe DeLuca, we miss you ...
Jean Petryshyn. I knew Linda Gronlund and Joe DeLuca for over 20 years through car racing. I will miss them both.
Stan Rider. Linda, Joe, you're missed and will always be remembered.
R. Allen Olmstead. New England Region, Sports Car Club of America, F&C Worker: Thank you for your courage.
Diane. Joe & Linda, I miss you more than you know. Thank you for taking care of the rest of us.
Pego Mack. New England Region, SCCA. We will all miss Linda and Joe and always will remember what they did.
Chris Wenzel. P&R NER SCCA. We'll miss Linda Gronlund & Joe DeLuca at LRP. Thanks to everyone else onboard!

2 comments:

Cathy said...

No doubt Joe Deluca is missed.

Laura said...

I did not have the privilege of knowing Joseph (Joe) Deluca, but every year on September 11th I wear a silver bracelet etched with his name, "FLT 93" and "Sept 11, 2001". I will never forget his heroism and sacrifice.