Edward Albonico, at age 94, passed away at his home in Pinole, California on Wednesday, September 14th, 2016. Ed was born in 1922, in Richmond, California to Umberto Albonico who immigrated from Gravedona, Italy in 1915 and Anna Cerri-Albonico who immigrated from Morbegno, Italy in 1920. He attended Fairmont Elementary School in El Cerrito, California and Richmond Union High School in Richmond, California. During WWII, Ed worked as a shipfitter at the Kaiser Shipyard in Richmond and Moore Dry Dock in Alameda before being called up by the Navy. While in the Navy, he was trained as an aviation ordnanceman with instruction in aerial gunnery and was part of a three-man team onboard a Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bomber. He received training at Norman Naval Air Station in Oklahoma, the Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale in Florida and Grosse Ile Naval Air Station in Michigan. While stationed at Grosse Ile Naval Air Station outside of Detroit, he met his wife Shirley at a local YWCA dance. They married a few short months later and Ed was transferred to the Naval Air Station South Weymouth in Weymouth, Massachusetts for final discharge at the end of the war. Ed returned to California with his new wife and assumed the Nursery and landscape business his father had established a few years before. Ed with his brother Henry ran the business from 1946 until their retirement in 1996. He was a long time member of the El Cerrito Lions Club and the American Association of Nurserymen. Ed is survived by his wife Shirley Zielesch-Albonico, son Larry Albonico, daughter in-law Barbara Albonico, son Ted Albonico, daughter in-law Stephanie Albonico, son Alan Albonico, son Don Albonico and daughter Sharon Albonico. Grandchildren Ryan Albonico, Steve Albonico, Aaron Albonico and Briana Albonico and great grandchild Logan Kurtz. Sister in-law June Albonico, nieces Pamela Lindsey, Patti Zanotelli and nephew Terry Albonico and extended family in Italy, Michigan, Indiana, Idaho and Washington. Ed’s passions were plants, flowers and trees and he was never so happy as to work in his beautiful garden. Ed and Shirley shared over 70 years of love and many happy memories together and he will be missed by all. Private Family Services were held at Sunset View Cemetery, 101 Colusa Ave., El Cerrito, CA