Phyllis Angelina Santella

Our beloved mother, Phyllis Angelina (Salerno) Santella was born on January 19, 1925 in Pittsburgh, PA. On August 17, 2025, she peacefully passed away, surrounded by family, at age 100 in Las Vegas, NV, where she had been thriving at Las Ventanas Retirement Village.

She was a tiny “dynamo” at 4’11”, who loved music & dancing, exercising, playing the piano, and baking scores of desserts. Her long life was filled with travels to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Italy, as well as a 25+yr career as an executive secretary at Travelers Ins. and State Farm Ins. Cos. She was a consummate exerciser, attending 3 classes a week at the Las Ventanas gym, as well as exercising on her own at home.

Just a week before her passing she was happily living independently in her apartment. The photograph above is of Phyllis at her 100th birthday celebration at Las Ventanas in January 2025. Besides her love for her family, she definitely loved white flowers, high heeled shoes, Italian food, layer cake, & chocolate. Phyllis was well known for always showing her appreciation to others by offering them chocolate candy kisses.

In her later years she experienced significant vision loss from macular degeneration. However, that did not deter her from learning the Braille alphabet & the beginnings of reading Braille words at age 99.

Phyllis was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, Dario Santella, son, Daryl Santella, grandson, Michael Santella, and brother, Rudy Salerno.

She is survived by her remaining children, Dale (Theresa) Santella of Export, PA, Danielle ( Dominic) Kaylor of Las Vegas, NV, Denise (Michael) Bogden of Las Vegas, NV, and daughter-in-law, Karen Santella of Palm Desert, CA. She was the grandmother of Michelle Kish of Jeannette, PA and Marie (Luke) Scholl of Doylestown, PA & great grandmother of Brody James Kish, Brooklyn Paige Kish, Jackson Dario Scholl, and Kennedy Jeanne Scholl.

Phyllis’ family wishes to extend its sincere thanks to the residents and staff of Las Ventanas Retirement Village for providing a safe and happy home environment these past 10 Years.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, August 26 from 8 am to 9:30 am at Palm South Jones Mortuary, 1600 S. Jones Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89146. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, August 26 from 10 am to 11 am at St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church, 1111 Michael Way, Las Vegas, NV 89108. She will be interred @ S. Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1900 Veterans Blvd Boulder City, NV 89005 on Wednesday, August 27 from 9:20 am to 9:50 am.