U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War
Published July 22, 2019
READING – Peter A. Santoro, Sr., 90, of Reading, formerly of Wakefield and Cambridge, died Thursday, July 18, 2019 at the Kaplan Family Hospice House surrounded by family.
Born in Belmont on June 6, 1929 he was the son of the late Sebastiano and Concetta (Frassica) Santoro.
Mr. Santoro was raised in Belmont and was a graduate of Belmont High School. As a young man with an entrepreneurial spirit, he had an ice cream truck in Belmont that he operated before joining the Marine Corp Reserves. At the age of 20, he enlisted in the United States Army and proudly served his country during the Korean War.
Mr. Santoro raised his family in both Cambridge and Wakefield and enjoyed spending his summers with family at Blodgetts Landing in New Hampshire. One of his favorite things was to bring his grandchildren to Canobie Lake Park. He also had been able to travel to Italy, most especially Sicily. Mr. Santoro was an avid Boston Red Sox and Bruins fan and was a 42 year member of the Wakefield Lodge of Elks. He loved to dance, doing so at least twice a week; but above all, he cherished his family and time spent together.
He was the beloved father of Debra Karalis and her husband John of Calif., Connie Santoro of Methuen, Peter A. Santoro, Jr. and his wife Chasity of N.Y. and Julie Chick and her partner Mike Buote of N.H. He was the brother of Virginia Mancuso of Arlington, Marie Lojko of Wakefield, Sebastian Santoro and wife Elizabeth of Belmont, and the late Grace Whitezell and John, Dominic, Pasquale, and Anthony Santoro. Adored grandfather to: Jason, Lisa, Colleen, Brandon, Amber, Tucker, Alyssa, Aiden, and Gavin; as well as four great-grandchildren. He was the brother-in-law to Carmela Santoro of Belmont. He is also survived by his dear friend, Helen Chisholm of Reading. He was also the cherished uncle to many.
Visitation for relatives and friends will be held at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield on Wednesday from 4-8 p.m. A prayer service will be held at 6 p.m. followed by the rendering of Military Funeral Honors.