Funeral held in White Plains for World War II veteran Joan Pantanelli
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- A funeral was held in White Plains on Thursday morning to celebrate a life of service and groundbreaking accomplishment.
World War II veteran Joan Pantanelli, known as Johnnie, passed away on Saturday.
Pantanelli joined the Marine Corps Reserve in the 1940s, helping search for German U-boats off the coast of New Jersey.
She became a pilot after the war and served for decades in the Civilian Air Patrol.
She inspired hundreds of young people with her love of aviation and was honored with a Congressional Gold Medal in 2014.
Col. Pantanelli was 97 years old.
