Anthony Nicholas “Tony” Santella, 92, of Pleasant Hill, formerly of Raytown, was born August 29, 1922, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the son of Nicholas and Rose (DiNicola) Santella. He departed this life at 5:00 p.m. Thursday, November 6, 2014, surrounded with love and family at the Pleasant Hill Health and Rehabilitation Center.
Tony moved from Bayonne, N.J., to Raytown in 1961; later moving Pleasant Hill in 2008.
He proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy during WWII and the Korean War.
On August 22, 1943, he wed Dorothy Dalton at the St. Joseph’s Cathedral in San Diego, Calif. They enjoyed 56 years of marriage until her death in 1999.
Tony retired as a supervisor from Western Electric in 1985 after 43 years of service. He was a long time member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Raytown before becoming housebound due to Parkinson’s disease.
He lived his life devoted to his family.
Tony was also preceded in death by one brother, Michael Santella, in 2007.
He is survived by one son, Tom Santella of Plano, Texas; one daughter, Nora (and Stan) Simpson of Pleasant Hill; two sister-in-laws, Josephine Santella of Seminole, Fla., and Alma Dalton of Islamorada, Fla.; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two nieces and two nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 11, 2014, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Raytown. Reverend Angelo Bartulica will officiate. Entombment will follow in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Kansas City with full military honors by the U.S. Navy and the V.F.W. Post #3118 Honor Guard. Casket bearers are Robert Anderson, Andrew Santella, Anthony T. Santella, and Greg Simpson.
The Recitation of the Rosary will be held 6:00 p.m. Monday evening followed by visitation until 8:00 p.m. at the Stanley-Dickey Funeral Home, Pleasant Hill, Missouri. Visitation will also be held 10:00 a.m. until service time at the church Tuesday morning.
The family encourages contributions to the Disabled American Veterans Charity. These may be sent in care of the funeral home.