Theodore Lawrence Santi

Ted Santi was a devoted father, cherished grandfather, and beloved son and brother whose life was defined by love, leadership, and generosity. He was the proud father of Christina Raines and the late Anthony (Tony) Santi, and a loving grandfather to Ava, Samuel, and Benjamin Raines, and Jillian Santi. Ted found immense joy in spending time with his family—whether it was taking the kids to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts, or boat rides, he was always at the heart of their adventures. One of Ted’s favorite places was his property in Warsaw, where family gatherings were filled with adventure. The kids rode four-wheelers and side-by-sides through winding trails, swam in the pond on hot summer days, and made memories that will last a lifetime. For Ted, family was everything.

A natural entrepreneur and visionary, Ted built a successful construction business that brought him deep pride and fulfillment. From a young age, he showed a knack for leadership—his siblings would say he was born to be the boss. He led them in imaginative childhood projects, from building igloos in winter to designing elaborate lake docks and club houses in summer, even creating a backyard zoo for neighborhood kids. Ted’s passion for construction was matched by his gift for problem-solving. He often said, “Show me a problem and I’ll give you options.” His legacy includes two homes he built for himself, as well as churches, gas stations, truck stops, and stores throughout the Kansas City area. Whether on a job site, at the bank, or walking his land in Warsaw, Ted was rarely seen without his loyal dog Max by his side. A proud American, Ted held a deep love for his country and for good food. He was known for his legendary meatballs, Italian sausage, and homemade sauce—meals he loved to share with family and friends.

Ted was preceded in death by his son Tony, his father Gerald Santi, and two uncles David Carenen and Becker Spaun. He is survived by his mother Margaret Rice; daughter Christina Raines and her husband Philip; grandchildren Ava, Samuel, and Benjamin Raines; and granddaughter Jillian Santi. He is also survived by his siblings: a brother, Tim Santi, and sisters, Victoria (Hieu) Tran, Coleen (Ransom Paul) Ward, Carla Santi Smith, Kathleen Mesa, and Kristine Houlihan. Ted’s love extended to his many nieces and nephews: Dianna (Chris) Siefering, Megan (Blake) Davies, Joshua Tran, Ransom Dakota Ward, Nicholas Ward, Justina (Jesse) Smith, Taylor (Corey) Schmidt, Rhiannon Embree, and Shelby Smith. He also shared a special bond with his great-niece Michaela Siefering. He also had many other aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family.

In honor of Ted’s lifelong love for animals, the family kindly requests that donations be made in his name to local animal charities such as Pet Resource of Kansas City or NAWS in lieu of flowers. At his celebration of life, a representative from KC Pet Resource will be present to accept cash donations, pet supplies, or pet toys in Ted’s memory.

A visitation will be held at White Chapel Funeral Home, located at 6600 NE Antioch Rd, Gladstone, MO 64119, on October 10, 2025, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm., the funeral service will follow at the same location at 2:00.