Pietro "Pete" DeSantis, BHS 1946

Pietro "Pete" DeSantis, BHS 1946

Lassen County Times, CA 2009

Pietro "Pete" DeSantis, 80, passed on January 30, 2009, at his home after a lengthy battle with cancer. Pete was born June of 1928 in Burbank, California, and was the oldest of three children. He graduated from Burbank High School in 1946.

Pete continued working until joining the United States Army Air Force in 1950 and proudly served his country for 21 years. During his service, through both Korea and Vietnam conflicts, he accrued more than 10, 000 hours of flight time in the service of his country.

During Pete's 37 years in Susanville, he acquired gunsmithing and welding certification from Lassen Community College and has always been supportive of the gunsmithing program, even after completing his certificate. He was a board member for the Richmond School District for nine years and assisted with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation committee for ten years.

Pete was well known for always being willing to assist others in the community and at Lassen College.

While stationed at Travis Air Force Base, Pete met, fell in love with and married his wife of 50 years, Nancy Gill DeSantis. After retiring in 1971, he moved his family to Susanville where he and Nancy raised four sons, Tello(Norma) resides in San Francisco, Pietri II (Margaret) resides in Susanville, Paul resides in Nome, Alaska, and Timothy (Margaret) resides in Graton, California. He is also survived by seven grandchildren he was very proud of; Aryn, Whitney, Pietro III, Benjamin, Corey Kenneth, and Mathieu.

Pete was preceded in death by his parents, Romero and Eva DeSantis, and brothers, Romero Jr. and Robert DeSantis.

A celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 14, at the Susanville Church of the Nazarene on Spring Ridge Drive. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to University Health Systems, Chemotherapy Department, Suite 302, East Second Street, Reno, Nevada, 89502, toward purchase of an IV pump.

Please make checks payable to the U.N.R. Foundation with memo to Pratice Plan North Gift Fund in memory of Pietro DeSantis.

As this is a celebration of Pete's life and 50 years of marriage to Nancy, the family respectfully asks black clothing be avoided.