John Charles Romano

John Charles Romano was born September 11, 1936 in Chicago, Illinois. He and his family moved to California in 1951. John graduated from Verdugo Hills High School in 1954. After high school, he attended college for a couple of years and ended up enlisting in the Air Force, intending to become a pilot; however,

there was an abundance of pilots, and he ended his military career and procured a pilot’s license on his own.

John went to work as a salesman, where he met his wife of 45 years Sandee. After one date he proposed & they were married in two weeks. They were deeply in love and had many very happy years together. They adopted two children, John and Adrianne, He also leaves five wonderful grandchildren.There was lots of family fun. He was an avid boater, and family vacations were spent on the boat in the Grand Canyon, on the Delta, and throughout the Southwest.

John joined the Optimist club and was an active member his entire life; he was an essential organizer for the Braille Institute Olympics, the Junior World Golf Tournament as well as water skiing trips for the blind, and was the Optimist Governor of the District in 1989.

He was a successful entrepreneur, and started his own inflatable business in the 1970’s. John devotedly cared for his ailing wife Sandee, until her passing in 2007. He then met Claire at the Bridge Club through church. He was so thankful to have such a wonderful woman to share the remainder of his life with, they loved each other. They enjoyed playing & winning at bridge. Travel was a big part of their life together. They went on boat trips, cruises, trips to Europe, and South America. Last year John fulfilled a life long dream of rafting through the Grand Canyon, what fun. He was very generous & a very good person. His is a life worth celebrating.