Angelo Z Sanchez

US Navy Veteran

World War II

September 11, 1925 – June 5, 2016

Angelo Zambito Sanchez, aged 90 years and 9 months, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 5, 2016.

He was born in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida on September 11, 1925. He was preceded in death by his parents, Cesario Sanchez and Rosa Zambito Mandese, his brother Antonio “Tony” Sanchez and by his wife of 36 years, Claudine Brown Sanchez.

A child of the Great Depression, his father was an immigrant from Spain and his mother was a first generation American born to Italian immigrant parents. Both of his parents worked in the Ybor City cigar factories and had very little money to raise their two sons. Angelo would always tell a story over the years of the time his father told him to put cardboard in his shoes, when the soles had worn out, as there was no money to purchase new shoes. Later in life he had an obsession with buying his grandsons multiple pairs of shoes! Although he was naturally intelligent with a great common business sense, he lacked the financial opportunity to obtain a higher education.

On March 10, 1943, at age 17, he entered active military service in the US Navy to join the great fight during World War II. After completing boot camp and Amphibious Assault training in Bainbridge, MD, his orders took him to the South Pacific where he served in Gilli Gilli and Stringer Bay, Milne Bay, New Guinea and Subic Bay, Luzon, Philippine Islands. He was honorably discharged on Valentine’s Day of 1946 and like many veterans, went home to Tampa to find that work was scarce.

On January 29, 1947, he obtained a Chauffeur’s Police Permit to drive a “Black & White” Taxicab. He did this for a few years and then worked as a butcher at a meat packing house while trying to determine his next career steps. As luck would have it, he was stationed in the Navy with Joe C. Thompson's (The Founder of Southland Ice Company/Tote'm Stores) eldest son, John Philp Thompson, Sr. They met during their time in the Navy together between 1944-1946 and were friends. In fact, they both were discharged from the Navy in 1946. It was also that same year that the stores' name was changed from Tote'm to 7-Eleven, which reflected their late-night hours of operation - 7a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.

In 1954, the business began to breach the Texas border. Under the supervision of Thompson’s eldest son, John, five stores opened their doors in Florida. It was during this time that he contacted his old Navy buddy Angelo remembering that he was from Tampa, to help him with opening the new stores. It was their World War II Navy connection that helped him land the job with the company. He started out with Southland Corporation as a store manager and was quickly promoted to district manager. He personally opened many 7-Eleven stores throughout the State of Florida. He worked for the company nearly 36 years and was a dedicated employee. He only stopped working for Southland Corporation after a heart attack and bypass surgery forced him to do so.

Angelo is survived by his daughters, Belinda Capaz and Yvonne Gonzalez; his son in laws, Charlie Capaz and Vincent Gonzalez; his grandsons, Nicolas “Butch” Capaz and Justin Capaz; his sister Annette Vizzi; his nephews, Joseph Vizzi and Tony Sanchez Jr.; his niece Sabrina Vizzi; his longtime companion Merycer Whitlock and her two daughters, Terri Gonzalez and Tammy Whitlock and their families, and many other cousins, life long friends and caregivers who provided love and support that enhanced his quality of life.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 12, 2016 from 11am-1:00pm and the funeral service will be held from 1:00pm-1:30pm at Gonzalez Funeral Home. He will be interred in a family plot next to his mother at Woodlawn Cemetery.