Pat Santoro passed away at the wondrous age of 92 on February 7, 2023. As he gratefully said numerous times, “I had a good life.”  Born in Ozone Park, NY in 1930, he met the “most beautiful girl I ever saw,” Virginia DeRosa, at a carnival when they were just fourteen years old. The childhood sweethearts married by the time they were 18 and quickly expanded their family with children Patricia, Richard, Debra, and Barbara.

Ambitious and hardworking, Pat grew a robust carpentry contracting business during the boom years on Long Island. In 1956 he proudly built his first home and moved his family to Massapequa Park. His business flourished and ten years later he built his dream home on the water, again in Massapequa Park. Many a day he would sit in his back yard staring out over the Great South Bay, marveling on how an ordinary kid from Queens came so far. In his fifties, he discontinued carpentry and elected to work with his lifelong passion, cars. He succeeded in growing his own used car business and opened a lot on Merrick Road in Massapequa. After a while, he no longer needed to work hard, and the car business eventually became a happy hobby which he enjoyed into his early eighties.

Pat was blessed with four children, eight grandchildren, thirteen greatgrandchildren, and one great, great-grandchild. He considered himself a very rich man.  The Santoro family is grateful for his long and fruitful life, and for all who have offered their love and support at this most difficult time.

In lieu of flowers, kindly have a Mass offered for his soul, or donate to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in his memory.

https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html

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