James Conrad Ciardelli, a resident of Walnut Creek and husband of the Pleasanton Weekly’s Tri Valley Life editor Dolores Ciardelli, died peacefully Friday of aggressive bladder cancer at the age of 68.
His wife of 47 years and their two children, son Joseph Pepe Ciardelli of Berlin, Germany, and daughter Zoe Ryan, of Lake Forest, Calif., near Irvine, were at his side to offer him comfort and to enjoy his big personality one last time. He will be missed and remembered for his sharp sense of humor, and for his love of tennis, music, football, travel and cooking.
Mr. Ciardelli, who was diagnosed with cancer in January, was born in San Francisco and raised in San Jose. He graduated from Bellarmine College Prep and the University of Santa Clara, where he also earned an MBA. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1968-72 and was stationed at Beale AFB in Marysville, Calif., and Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, N.M.
He had a career in international finance, working for J.A. Jones Construction Co. in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from 1975-78; Louis T. Leonowens in Bangkok, Thailand, from 1986-92; and for many years in San Francisco for Castle & Cooke and Getz Corp. In recent years he worked as a commercial appraiser.
Besides his wife and their two children, Mr. Ciardelli is survived by son-in-law Jeff Ryan, granddaughter Camille Ryan, 2; sister Sue Martin of Pleasanton; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Diane and George Lechner of San Jose; and nieces and nephews. At his request, no services are being held.
