Edwin Ed Frank Cvetko

Ed passed away May 10, 2016 at the age of 92. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Ed graduated with an Aeronautical Engineering degree from NYU while serving during WWII in the Army Air Corps as a flight engineer. After the service he worked for Chance Vought Aircraft and spent his entire 37 year career with the company. He loved to tell the story of how he first started at a drafting table at the back of a huge room of engineers and his goal was to be the guy who worked from the table at the front of the room.

Over his career he progressed to the VP of Manufacturing for all Aerospace products and then became the Senior VP of Operations & Program Management. LTV (the parent company of Vought) created a separate Aero Products Division in 1983 and Ed was named President. In 1985 he was promoted to the Senior VP of Operations for LTV Aerospace and Defense and eventually retired to a consulting position for several different Aerospace companies.

After retiring, Cvetko join in the formation of the Chance Vought Survivors and worked with the Vought Heritage Retiree Club which has been instrumental in restoring Vought aircraft for display to keep the Vought Aircraft legacy alive.

Ed married Virginia Pierce in 1957. Through Virginia’s vision and Ed’s support, she started support group meetings for cancer patients. They were married until Virginia’s death in 1980 from cancer. After her death, Vought matched donations in Virginia’s memory to found the Virginia R. Cvetko Patient Education Center in the Baylor Sammons Cancer Center at Dallas. The Cvetko Center helps patients and their loved ones understand and manage the physical, emotional and spiritual challenges of cancer.

In 1987 Ed married Delia Wilkerson Thelen. It was a second marriage for both of them and they shared many common interests. They traveled extensively including Europe, New Zealand and Africa. Delia and Ed were docents at Dallas's Meyerson Symphony Hall and active members of both St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and Prince of Peace Catholic Communities. Ed participated in the Dallas Jail Ministry and with the lay teams that lead the ACTS retreats from SEAS. Dee (76) passed away just two months ago.

Ed was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Jeanette LaRosa; Virginia Cvetko and Delia Cvetko. He is survived by his daughter, Barbara Chapman; his grandson, Evan Chapman; his granddaughter Virginia (and Tommy) Tanner with his great-grandson Nash; nephew Donald (and Caryl) LaRosa as well as nieces Laura LaRosa James, Stephanie Pierce Prevost and Suzanne Pierce Beck.

The family will receive guests at a visitation on Thursday, May 12, 2016 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Ted Dickey West Funeral Home, 7990 George Bush Turnpike, Dallas, Texas 75252.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, May 13, 2016 at 10:30 AM at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 2700 W. Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano, TX 75023. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Baylor Health Care System Foundation to benefit The Cvetko Center. Please make checks payable to Baylor Health Care System Foundation, 3600 Gaston Ave, Ste 100, Dallas, TX 75246. For questions, contact Sarah Burdi at 214.820.4721.