Obituary of Douglas Michael Sasso
An obituary is not the sum of a person's life, it is a glimpse into a well-lived life and the details associated with the departure of an individual leaving many friends, family, and acquaintances behind....and any services that may be held to honor that life.
Douglas Michael Sasso was born Aug. 22, 1961, in Joliet, IL, to Michael John and Mary Sheila Harmon Sasso and spent his formative years there. He attended St. Joseph of Rockdale school and church. He attended Reedswood Grade School and Dirksen Jr. High and he graduated from Joliet Catholic High School in 1979. He then graduated from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana in 1984, where he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and various campus organizations.
Doug was commissioned and took his United States Marine Corps oath during the Christmas holidays in 1983, witnessed by his parents (his Dad was also a proud Marine) and his sisters in their Joliet home. He was then stationed at Quantico, VA, until he graduated from Marine Corps Development and Education Command at the FBI Academy on Oct. 4, 1984. Next, he entered flight school at the Pensacola, FL Navel Air Base where he received his wings in 1985 in the traditional manner, choosing to have his Mother pound his Wings onto his aviator's chest.
Doug's career in the Marines lasted for 23 years and took him to places and flights throughout the United States, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabian airspace with operations at both domestic and international aerodromes. Combat missions were served in support of Desert Storm and Desert Shield, as well as tours in Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. Post-active duty in combat included providing air support for President Clinton on a journey to Entebbe Uganda and assignments at El Toro, Tustin, and Edwards Air Force Bases in CA. He had relocated to CA following flight school, and he retired from active duty as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2007. His love of flying then shifted to civilian aircraft, becoming a Commercial pilot with American Airlines. Doug had achieved his goal of flying the Boeing 787 Dreamliner just before the diagnosis of stomach cancer which would lead to his death.
His medals and ribbons for his active service in the Marines are many - to name a few - The Air Medal with flight Numeral 1, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal with 2 Bronze Stars, the National Defense Service Medal with 1 star, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with 2 Stars, and Meritorious Unit Commendation with 1 star. Lt. Colonel Sasso managed operations at Jubail Naval Air Facility during Desert Storm/Shield and was responsible for the conduct and execution of all airfield support supervising over 500 Allied personnel and 200 plus aircraft. Sasso conceived, wrote, and published a SECRET AIRFIELD OPS Manual for the base in 30 days, the only one of its kind out of ALL Marine Air Bases.
There is a book available from the Cal State Univ in Fullerton, CA, which is about some of Doug Sasso's career, written as a part of the Oral History Project regarding the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. Doug was proud to be a part of the Oral History Project having loved books since his first visit to a library when he was very small and went with his mom and sister to the Joliet Public Library to choose and check out his very own books to read. He especially enjoyed books on the military and flying even then, perhaps because so many of his relatives served in all the military branches, but he devoured all books, whether about history or mystery. He wanted things preserved, like the military service records of his Grandfather's service in WWI in France, of his Uncles who flew missions in WWII in the South Pacific and Europe, of all his relatives and friends - preserved and given recognition. It is appropriate that he will be buried with full military honors at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego, CA on Wednesday, October 9, where the planes and pilots soar overhead every day.
Doug was rightly proud of his service and his heritage. Ironically, when Doug returned to the United States from combat in Saudi Arabia, his flight had two stops- in Italy and in Ireland. Doug was all-American but also half-Italian and half-Irish. He loved St. Patrick's Day, and he loved Italian food!
Before he was one of the Few, the Proud, and an officer in the USMC, Doug was a responsible Paper Delivery Boy for the Joliet Herald News, back when carriers delivered the daily paper to entire neighborhoods no matter the weather. As a teen, he also worked at the original Aurelio's Pizza, now Cemeno's.
He had tended bar in Champaign as a student, at CO Daniels and the Hideaway, and had worked with the grounds crew at Joliet Jr. College. He could always be trusted to do the job he was given and do it well.
Doug was a lifelong fan of many sports teams, but especially his Chicago Cubs, Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks franchises, Notre Dame, and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini. As a participant, he played baseball from Little League to Bronco for many Joliet-sponsored teams, and in football from Pop Warner through four State Championships at Joliet Catholic High School, ’75-’78. (they now have 15). When his wife encouraged him to join her in skiing in the mountains of CA, he was game, deciding that to be less dangerous than when he umpired for the Joliet Girls Softball Association games.
Doug wasn't just the stereotypical Marine, although he was square-jawed and fit. He was known for being outgoing, friendly, and loyal too. One of the many licenses and certificates he held was a teacher's license. He related to young people with ease from those at St. John's Grade School in Joliet to the high school students in Mahomet, IL, where he did his student teaching, riding his bike from his campus housing at the Univ of IL out to Mahomet, rain or shine, to the neighborhood children in Laguna Hills, some of whom became his godchildren.
One cannot talk about Doug's life without mentioning his long-time and beloved companion, his Golden Retriever Sheena. Doug adopted Sheena when she was a puppy in Florida and she stayed his best friend until she passed at age 15 in CA, after getting her many frequent flyer miles to IL and IN when Doug had to be deployed.
His friend's number in the hundreds, if not more: the special friends of more than 40 years, like Glen Smith, Thad Stewart, and Bob Roth, and his brothers in Sigma Chi, his fellow Marines, past and present, his teammates, his fellow pilots.... His address book was full and CURRENT. His phone had over 100 messages waiting when he passed away that he had been unable to answer, and he would like them acknowledged. He would urge everyone to continue to reach out to those they know and love. It's part of life. "Live it fully." To his good friend Ted, with whom he faced danger in Afghanistan, and with whom he was able to laugh during some of the tough days of cancer, to those he exchanged emails and texts with on game days (to taunt or tease regarding a fumble or a score)....."Don't stop! I'll be thinking of you."
Doug married Cindy Wieber Finnerty in October 1993. Their home with a view was in Laguna Hills, CA. He loved Christmas and decorating his home for holidays and surrounded his home with flowers that he loved to plant and tend. He died at home with his wife, his mother, and his two sisters by his side, just as they had been for his last birthday in August. Doug was only 63 on that birthday. His death on Sept 17, 2024, was 63 years to the day from when he was baptized at St. Anthony's in Joliet. Hospice sought to give him comfort and peace at the end and Doug would want to thank them and everyone who offered prayers and gave him hope and comfort during his 8-month struggle. He had told his mother; "I am not afraid to die; I just don't want to say "Good-bye!"
Doug was preceded in death by his father, Michael J. Sasso, who died suddenly on Dec.18, 2017, in Crawfordsville, IN, his maternal grandparents, James Leo and Marie Harmon, his paternal grandparents, Michael And Eugenia Vercellotti Sasso, Uncle and Aunts (Jim & Bonnie Harmon, John & Jeanne Harmon Ferguson, Bill, Ed and Pat Harmon, Joseph & Theresa Sasso Sharp, and Eleanore Sasso, and his cousins, Tom Harmon, Kevin Harmon, and David Sharp.
He is survived by his mother, Mary Sheila Harmon Sasso of Crawfordsville, IN, wife Cindy Wieber Finnerty Sasso of Laguna Hills, CA, her son Shane Finnerty, of CA, and Doug's two sisters, Karen E. Sasso of Aliso Viejo, CA, and Sheila M. Sasso of Plainfield, IL.
His funeral services will be held at Corpus Christi Church in Aliso Viejo, CA, on Oct 9 at 9:30 am (vigil at 9 am), and his Internment will follow at 1:30 pm at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego, CA. A California Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, Oct. 10th.
Streaming for the funeral mass at Corpus Christi can be seen on their YouTube TV channel. (www.youtube.com/@AVCatholics). It will also be available to view for 7 days after the service
Realizing that many cannot travel to California, there will be a Memorial Service and Celebration of Life for Doug at Fred C. Dames Funeral Home, 3200 Black Rd., Joliet on Sunday, October 20th from 12-4 pm, so that friends and family will also have a chance to pay their respects locally.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Doug’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital would be appreciated.
