William Santacroce - Obituary

illiam Anthony Santacroce “Bill”, 85, passed peacefully on January 6, 2011 at Heart Homes at Bayridge in Annapolis, ending a 14-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Bill was born on October 4, 1925 in Baltimore to the late Serafino and Eva Santacroce. After high school, he joined the Army Air Corps and served in Europe during World War II. Bill returned from the service and made his home in Forestville where he and his late wife of 35 years, Antoinette, raised five children. He had a 38-year career as a civilian aircraft mechanic at Andrews Air Force Base in Camp Springs. Those who knew Bill will remember him for his passion for flying; love of fishing, crabbing and gardening; and mostly his fierce love and devotion to his family. In addition to his parents and wife, Bill was preceded in death by his oldest son, John, his youngest son, Louis, and his only sibling, John Santacroce of Baltimore. Bill is survived by one son, Frank Santacroce and his wife, Leslie, of Edgewater, two daughters, Eva Sansone Giannusa and her husband, Philip, of Port Jefferson, NY and Gina Burkett and her husband, James, of Silver Spring; eight grandchildren, Jack and Louis Santacroce of Edgewater, Michael Santacroce of Severna Park, and Megan Vito and her husband David, of Charlottesville, VA, Zachary Sansone of New York, NY, John Giannusa of Port Jefferson, NY and Louis and Lauren Burkett of Silver Spring; and one great-granddaughter, Emilee Santacroce of Millersville. Friends are invited to Bill’s Life Celebration at the GEORGE P. KALAS FUNERAL HOME, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater, MD on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Monday, January 10, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, 515 Loch Haven Road, Edgewater, MD. Interment private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care of Maryland, Inc., 6934 Aviation Blvd. STE N-R, Glen Burnie, MD 21061.