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After fighting numerous illnesses over the past five years, Anthony J. "Ted" Ciano, one of Pensacola's foremost Businessmen, Philanthropists and Icons, peacefully passed away just shy of his 82nd birthday at approximately 3:30am on May 7, 2010.

Mr. Ciano was born in Akron, Ohio. His parents Frank and Josephine Ciano were immigrants from Italy. He started his career as an automobile mechanic in Ohio and later moved to South Florida, where he worked his way up and subsequently managed several automobile dealerships. Mr. Ciano moved to Pensacola in 1968 at which time he purchased Whitson Ford. He changed the name to Key Ford and eventually built it into one of the most successful Ford dealerships in the country. Ciano sold Key Ford in the year 2000 and shortly thereafter opened Ted Ciano's Car, Truck and SUV Center in Car City where he is known as the Dean of Car City.

He was deeply involved in community activities throughout his time spent in Pensacola. Those include at least 30 Civic organizations and another 33 charitable organizations. Among those he took the most pride in are: his almost perfect attendance record in his Rotary Clubs, a co-founder of the Boys Club of Northwest Florida, his fund raising efforts for the Escambia Westgate School for Special Children, his support of the Miracle League Baseball Park for Handicapped Children, his contributions and fund raising efforts for the Ciano Center for Cancer in Gulf Breeze and his support of all law enforcement efforts in Northwest Florida, which started with his membership in The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #71.