- Date Of Birth: April 22, 1965
- Date Of Death: December 5, 2022
- State: Florida
Christian Aaron Colletti passed away unexpectedly on December 5,
2022 in Crestview, Florida. He was 57.
Christian was born in Wilmington, Delaware on April 22, 1965. He
was the son of John P. Colletti and Noelita G. Colletti of Pittsburgh,
PA.
He grew up in North Strabane Township, PA and from a very young
age had a wide variety of interests. At an early age he invested a lot
of time in the woods. He loved hunting, fishing, and even trapping
foxes, racoons and other critters. He would often rise very early to
check his traps before school. Of course, his mother loved to discover
new pelts being cured in the garage!
Christian attended middle school and junior high school in
Canonsburg, PA and high school in Mt. Lebanon, PA. During high school
he was accepted into the Navy’s Delayed Entry Program and was
ultimately designated a Machinist Mate, serving as an engineer on USS
RICHARD E. BYRD (DDG-23) and USS BELKNAP (CG-26). He completed several
deployments to the Mediterranean, and spoke very fondly of his time
spent in Haifa, Israel. After the Navy, he attended Duquesne
University, graduating in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in business.
Christian was many things: Angler, comedian, artist, music lover,
ship builder and father. At a young age, it was impressive to watch
him holding court with his “Whitty Clan” aunts and uncles on Long
Island, showing off his improv skills and amazing comedic timing.
Christian was never one for staying “inside the lines”. Early in
life he took art classes at the Carnegie Museum and as a young teen,
he painted a large mural of Frank Zappa on his bedroom ceiling. While
in the Navy, he received a heavy dose of “special attention” when he
painted a large caricature of the ship’s Commanding Officer on an
engine room bulkhead. Christian was bold, adventurous and hated
structure.
He played the drums, french horn and piano as a young man and
later introduced his brothers to a wide array of music, including Arlo
Guthrie, The Allman Brothers Band, Little Feat, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and
Frank Zappa.
Christian had amazing talents and very strong opinions. He had a
quick wit and was highly intelligent. He had so much potential and
without a doubt he influenced many lives and was a bright light for
his family and friends. He will be forever in our hearts and minds.
Christian was preceded in death by his mother, Noelita Colletti,
a loss that truly broke his heart. He had a close and special bond
with Noelita and he could make her laugh a truly hearty gut-laugh that
is hard to come by later in life. For sure, he helped her through some
very difficult times.
Christian is survived by his twins, son Elias Colletti of
Crestview, FL and daughter Celia Colletti of Ashville, NC. He is also
survived by his father, John P. Colletti of Canonsburg, PA and his
brothers Stephen (Tina) Colletti of Hickory, PA, Jack (Nicole)
Colletti of Upper St. Clair, PA, and Brian (Ripley) Colletti of Alison
Park, PA. He is also survived by a large army of aunts, uncles,
cousins and extended family members.
family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to his loving and caring
friends and family.
Crestview. The family has established a Gofundme page to help defray
be found here:
