Michael Santoianni

Michael Santoianni was born on October 1, 1928 in Bonefro Italy, to loving parents Maria Luigia Agostinelli and John Santoianni. Mike spent his younger years in Italy and was raised by his grandmother, until he was reunited with his father in White Plains, New York in 1937. Mike traveled alone across the ocean from Italy to New York and traded in his small village and country life, for the skylines and busy streets of New York.

Mike graduated from White Plains High School in 1948 and immediately join the Navy. He was quickly and honorably discharged after a bout with rheumatic fever. When he was 19 he travel to California, where he met another family from his hometown of Bonefro, Italy. They had a daughter named Joanne. In 1950, Mike married Joanne Colombo and they lived in New York for less than a year before permanently settling in Los Angeles.

Mike and Joanne and quickly started their big and loving family. John was born in 1951 Vince followed in 1953 Donald in 1954 Jane in 1959 and Nick in 1966. The Santoianni family was deeply rooted in Culver City, California. Mike was very involved in the Catholic Church, Italian culture clubs and within the Culver City community. A self-made man, Mike supported his family as a landscape contractor on the west side of Los Angeles. The retired at 51, and spent his retirement traveling the world with Joanne on many cruises, avidly playing golf, and with his family in Whittier, California.

Mike is survived by his wife of 65 years Joanne, five loving children John Santoianni (Francine), Vince Santoianni, Donald Santoianni, Jane Rinaldi (Francesco), Nick Santoianni, and three grandchildren Jenna Glazier (Sean), Tina Princenthal (Adam), and Domenico Rinaldi.

“Life has been very good to me life is beautiful I would do it all

over again and I would make the same mistakes.”

- Mike Santoinnni