Thomas Prantil

Thomas Guido Prantil - June 8, 1940 to June 1, 2010 Son of Guido Eugenio Prantil and Mary Boggio Prantil Survived by his cherished wife of 47 years, Colleen; his four daughters Angela, Christine, Gina and Laura; his four grandchildren Nathan and Eric Whitaker, ("Little") Colleen Prantil, and Esther Prantil Evans; his two sons(in law) Paul Whitaker and Bill Carbaugh; all of his favorite Prantil/Crotty/Boggio/Parnell, etc., sisters(in law), brothers(in law), nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, and some of the best friends a man ever had. We would like to thank on his behalf, all of his loved ones who supported him through his courageous fight for life and on his way home to God. Thomas Guido was a man of unflinching, illimitable faith in all things human and divine. We know he is being rewarded with eternal peace and joy.

We would especially like to thank the men and women of St. Augustine’s High School for the use of my father’s favorite chapel west of South Bend Indiana, and allowing his legacy and memory to remain in the parish he loved and served all of his life.

Tom was a native of San Diego, California...a true son of his beloved hometown. To remember him is to swim in the oceans off our coast, hike through the mountains of Cuyamaca, and camp in the deserts of Anza Borrego. He wore the entire Southwest, from New Mexico to Baja California, like his favorite pair of cowboy boots or Churchill swim-fins. He will always be the sun and the sea, horseshoes and hay bales, music and laughter, fun and spiritual center of those who knew him well. There is not a person he met who was not touched by his friendly smile or the booming sound of his voice. We will always remember him alongside his most treasured people and places. Tom was a man of service for his family, his community, and his church. One of the first students at St. Patrick's Elementary School, he was also one of St. Pat's first altar boys. He went on to serve the church as a cantor, lector, choir member, organist, Eucharistic Minister, major fundraiser, President of the Italian Catholic Federation and parish leader. He continued his catholic education at Saint Augustine's High School, and later at the University of Notre Dame where he managed to find an area of study that blended his passion for music and love of people - Musical Education. He served San Diego County as a Boy Scout, Boy Scout Leader, Little League Coach, Umpire, a Lifeguard for over a decade, Sponsor of Refugee Families, Middle School Teacher for almost forty years, President of his Teacher's Association, Lifelong 10 Gallon Plus Blood Donor, Mediator and Child Advocate. He was an outspoken champion of sexually exploited and abused children. He stood alone in protection of children he loved against horror and pain. He was a leader who could never have been a politician because he believed in and fought for what was right, disregarding what was popular, expedient, or in anyone's special interest. Quite simply, he was a man of honor, action, faith, hope, charity and love. He was the best of husbands, fathers, grandfathers, sons, uncles, cousins, siblings and friends...he was the best of men. He was a role model to be proud of...perfectly imperfect...flawlessly flawed humanity...humble before God and a pillar of strength during his time on earth. He was truly made in God's image...inside and out...acting only with diginity, and with immeasurable character. He made the world and the people in it better, just by being the best Thomas Guido Prantil he knew how to be, with every breath he took. We offer now, a more personal reflection of who he was to his family. He was San Diego...a Saintsman...the Fighting Irish...he was the Chargers...the Padres...football...baseball...softball and track...he was an athlete…he was water skiing, bowling and badminton...he was Balboa Park, Morley Field and Marshall Scotty’s Playland Park…he was Little League Picnics and Parish Picnics and waterfights…he was camping…tent trailers…Coleman stoves…Pendleton Wool…flannel shirts…he was hiking boots and barefeet…mud balls that last forever…damned up streams…skipping stones…he was dirt roads and back roads…Julian Apples…Agua Caliente…San Felipe…San Elijo…Tucson, Az…Gallup, NM…Indian Blankets…turquoise and silver…he was a true cowboy and farmer…he was the strong back and smell of leather jackets as we clung to him around the block on his harley...he was Old Spice…he was Italy…Tyrolian Hats…Cuckoo Clocks…and pipe tobacco…he was homemade ice cream on the 4th of July...he was sand candles at the beach... …he was Coppertone, boogie boards, swimming and the tide...the sand in our bathing suits and the salty smell which clung to us after the beach…he was coffee beans and butterflies…snorkels and spitting in your mask...he was the all shades of the ocean…he was La Jolla…Coronado…Shell Beach…Casa de Manana…body-surfing…Windan Sea…Pacific Beach…Mission Bay…he was our music teacher...a true scholar in constant search of knowledge...St. Augustine...St. Francis of Assisi...St. Thomas Aquinas...Marcus Aurelius and Harry Truman...the History channel…he was Tarzan…John Carter of Mars…the Man in the Iron Mask…the Count of Monte Cristo…Atticus Finch…all great men of literature and film…he was an artist...mason...carpenter...gamekeeper…gardener …grower…our house...our home...the one person who would always be there no matter what, when, who, where or why...the one who slept with us when our sister was sick...the one who pulled the wagon for broken legs at the Del Mar Fair...he" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Fair...he WAS the Del Mar Fair...he was the smell of rain in the desert...the sound of doves in the morning...the hand who held onto ours with his pinky flipped up from his years of bowling...he was the one who walked us home from baby-sitting and neighborhood get-togethers...he was the drive to El Cajon in a Volkswagon us...he" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">bus...he was sleeping to the sound of tires on the road...the tour driver every summer throughout the state of California...he" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">California...he was California...he was chewing gum...hard candy...ice cream...cookies and milk...spaghetti...tapioca…homemade chocolate frosting…pizza and domestic beer...he was Maker’s Mark and Wild Turkey…he was the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet...Buicks…car wax…fingerprints…stick shift and Light Blue Toyota Land Cruisers…master brewer...red wine...the Sacraments of the Church...the smell of incense...the taste of the Eucharist...the scratch of alter veils and bobby pins...he was all the Mysteries of the Rosary…Ave Maria…the Sacred Heart of Jesus…Easter Dresses...searching for stockings and baskets and hard-boiled eggs...he was Summer...he was snow and Christmas trees...Santa Claus...chopping wood in Autumn...he was Benny Goodman...Fats Domino...Beethoven...pianos, tubas and guitars...raise and strike…he was the sound of music through our bedroom floors and the battle of clarinets…he was the excitement and joy who kept us up all night before pre-dawn departures to Disneyland...he" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Disneyland...he was Disneyland...he was the Zoo and the Wild Animal Park...he was Sundays with all the Boggios and Prantils...he was sleeping upside down on our seats as we took the train cross-country to see the Crottys in South Bend...he was cribbage...science projects...a font of knowledge and wisdom...he was security...he was the man who loved our mother...the man who loved us...he was Love...he was the caretaker...OUR caretaker…he was the smell of our tears on his chest…he was our permission to have feelings and show them…forgiveness of others and forgiveness of self…he was my very first memory walkinging across our driveway and smiling when my youngest sister came home from the delivery room…he was my favorite memory when he came smiling across the driveway to welcome my own daughter to the family…he was second and third mortgages to put his grandchildren through the universities of their dreams…he was spending his life-savings to save his children and make them whole…he was The Giving Tree and The Velveteen Rabbit…he was the father of all my brothers from other mothers…he was the terror and admiration of every boy from North Park, St. Pat’s and St. Augustine’s…he was the Diamond Standard of Men…as my cousin said…he was quite simply the best…of the best…of the best…when you got it…you got it…and he had it…he is watching us through the floors of heaven…still protecting…still giving…until he holds us in eternal peace and an eternal hug…he is LOVE.

Arrangements under the direction of Goodbody Mortuary, San Diego, CA.