Frances J. Santoro

Frances Santoro was born in Passaic, New Jersey on November 28, 1923 to parents Anthony and Mary Marinaro who emigrated from Sicily. One of nine children, Frances lived through the depression era. From that experience she learned the importance of managing her money throughout her life. She never finished high school but went it came to finances she was sharp as a tack.

From an early age she had a passion for big band music and dancing, especially swing. Her children remember many stories being told of how she would go to the local dance halls every weekend where they played music from Benny Goodman, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller. She had the opportunity to see Frank Sinatra perform many times before he became famous since he was from a neighboring city, Hoboken. Her love of dancing led her to enter a dance contest which she won, and got the opportunity to conduct the Artie Shaw Big Band. It was during this time she met her husband of 65 years, Vito Santoro a WWII vet, whom she had two children with Joyce and Richard. She was always proud of the fact that both of them went on to become big band singers and that she had influenced them due to her love of swing music.

Frances worked various jobs throughout her life including being a seamstress, waitressing and hairdressing. In 1960 she moved her family to the bay area in California and eventually settled in Milpitas where she and her husband bought their first house. She lived there for 50 years until her passing. Throughout her life she was always enthusiastic about the things she liked, whether it be playing blackjack in Tahoe, bingo, watching old movies or gardening. And when it came to cooking everyone would agree that she was the spaghetti sauce queen. One of her favorite things things to do was to have her family over on Sunday for an Italian spaghetti dinner complete with meatballs and sausage. Everyone wanted leftovers.

If you've ever met Frances, you will never forget her. She loved her family very much and let everyone know how proud of them she was. She is survived by her two children Joyce and Richard, grandchildren Teressa, Reid, Evan, Roselyn Rina and great grandchildren Jude, and Reagan. Her grandson Richie(Boom) passed away in 1982.