Life-Lessons From A Great Man

He was an extraordinary man, Carl William Raggio, who epitomized excellence in his ideas, words, and actions. His character was impeccable, his purpose was unwavering, his vision was clear, and he possessed an unshakable determination. He touched thousands of souls over his almost ninety-five years on Earth, and his presence will remain in many hearts and minds for generations to come.
He was raised in Alhambra, the eldest son of three. He suffered a stroke early in adulthood, leading to a long convalescence resulting in his lifelong passion for reading and learning. He met the love of his life, Marilyn, and married in 1951, then started his thirty-nine-year career as a space pioneer with Jet Propulsion Laboratory. As an engineering graduate of Northridge, he led the design team for JPL and was intimately involved with sending our first unmanned satellites into space to explore our solar system. During his tenure with JPL, he carved out time to give back to his community. He served two decades as an elected official on the Glendale Unified School District Board and City Council, serving as Mayor of Glendale twice. Over these years, he fathered four children, three boys and a girl, and a dozen grand and great-grandchildren.
His brilliant mind delved deep into the universe, voyaging through galaxy after galaxy, in and out of black holes, seeking answers and striving for truth. His beliefs were a fusion of his Catholic faith and science, and he fearlessly questioned both as an engineer would to comprehend the relationship between Heaven, the cosmos, and humanity’s place in it.
Dad had an insatiable curiosity and a mind that operated at ultra-speeds. He constantly challenged the status quo, whether it was the Church, his JPL hierarchy, elected officials, government regulations, or even our family, when we didn’t make an effort to achieve new levels of growth. “That’s how it is” was never an appropriate response for him. He always wanted to know why and what “the end result” would be.
What can we take from Carl, this extraordinary man who taught us many life lessons? First, challenge all you see in seeking truth. Don’t be satisfied with dogma, the status quo, and the routine because our world is constantly changing, whether in the heavens or on earth and to be relevant, we must change with it. Second, embrace curiosity and remain hungry for knowledge. Honoring this is where you will find the truth. Third, don’t rush to conclusions. Listen to others, then research, contemplate, deliberate, formulate your opinions, and share them to improve the lives around you. Fourth, embrace your faith, with all its imposed human frailties, and science, with all its unknowns, and find peace knowing that the universe will eventually be revealed. Fifth, and most importantly, love your spouse, family, and friends and place their interests well before yours.
Every life well lived offers us lessons to model our behaviors and actions. These are some of the most important ones I’m taking from Dad and sharing with you. Thanks, Dad, for continuing to give to your family, friends, and community.
COL Paul A. Raggio (Ret), the owner of Five Star Leader Development, is a fractional CEO/COO who develops C-Suite executives, business owners, and their management teams on leadership, management principles, and best business practices. His email address is paul@fivestarleaderdevelopment.com, and his phone number is (252) 571-7368. Visit his website at https://www.fivestarleaderdevelopment.com.