He's been called a Delaware treasure. Ray Firmani, a World War II veteran who served his country and community, died at 103.

"He's going to be missed. I'm still getting my head around him not going to be around," said Mitch Topal, Firmani's friend and biographer.

Firmani called Delaware home for nearly a century and was one of the state's longest living World War II veterans.

"Ray was an incredible man. He spread goodwill everywhere he went and he made friends everywhere he went," Topal said.

Firmani was born on September 19, 1921, to Italian immigrants. He graduated from Wilmington High School before enlisting and served our country in World War II in the U.S. Army Air Corps as a B-17 pilot. He completed 25 bombing missions over Germany and France, many times leading his crew.

"Most of these missions were eight to 12 hours long, going into Germany dropping bombs on a target, turning around, coming back," Topal said. "I probably got to know him better than anybody because I chronicled his life; I was his biographer."

Topal captured Firmani's heroism and life story in his book, "Against All Odds: The Ray Firmani Story."

After the war, Firmani had a family. He was an award-winning photographer and worked with the DuPont Company until his retirement in 1986.

"He was a very private man. We didn't learn about his military experiences until the book came out. We were very surprised," said Melody Firmani, Firmani's daughter-in-law.

Melody Firmani described her father-in-law as a good dad who was loved by many people in his community.

"What struck me is he taught himself everything. In his 80s, he taught himself how to use a computer. He had no technological background; he learned by reading," Melody Firmani said.

CBS News Philadelphia talked with the 103-year-old nearly two months ago when former President Biden was in Wilmington for a Memorial Day event. 

"Maybe I'll see you for my birthday," Firmani joked.

Firmani has been inducted into the Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame; he was honored by the Town of Elsmere as a hometown hero, and a scholarship has been started in his name at Delaware Technical Community College.

Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer ordered flags to be flown at half-staff until Monday to honor Firmani's lifetime of service. Meyer released the following statement on Firmani's passing:

"Ray Firmani was a true Delawarean who served his community and his country with honor. He was a part of the fabric of Elsmere and counseled generations of Delaware leaders. If we are indeed a state of neighbors, then Ray Firmani set the bar that we should all aspire to reach. Lauren and I are sending our deepest condolences and prayers to his entire family and everyone who called Ray a friend. His life was long, but his memory will last even longer."

"He put his mark on so many people, thousands of people, and everyone he met, he became instant friends with; he's just that kind of a guy," Topal said.