Lemmon Funeral Home of Dulaney Valley Inc.
William (Bill) John Santo a cherished and dedicated husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend passed away peacefully on Friday June 28th while receiving care at the Lorien, Bel Air Senior Care Assisted Living facility where he resided since late 2023. Born on January 28,1931 in Bath, PA, he was the son of the late William L. Santo and Teresa A. (Solderitch) Santo. Bill Santo’s life was a testament to his unwavering love and dedication to his wife, family, faith, passion for his work, strong work ethic, travel, and his love for life’s simple pleasures.
Bill graduated from Northampton High School in 1949 and attended almost every high school class reunion until the last few years and cherished his high school friendships. He furthered his education at Lafayette College and achieved his Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical Engineering in 1953 as a member of the Tau Beta Pi Fraternity. He was the first in his family to earn a college degree. This accomplishment was the first of many in his distinguished career which brought him immense pride.
Upon graduation, Bill spent the next 15 years working at Alcoa, 10 of which were in Detroit, MI and 5 in Cleveland, OH. In 1965, he joined Danko Arlington, Inc. as the Foundry Superintendent and moved to Lutherville, MD where he spent the next 16 years. In a recent article published about a visit he made to the foundry in 2021, it addressed the challenges he faced while there including high inflation, the oil crisis and local civil rights uprisings. It also described the new opportunities he was able to acquire that were used in the Cold and Vietnam wars. In 1981 he began his last leg of his career at the Foundry Services Supply until he retired in 2001. Bill was an active member of the American Foundrymen's Society from 1981-2001.
On September 30,1954 he married his beloved wife Dolores Regina (Gunther) Santo. They would be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary this year. Together, with their 4 children, they became members of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Towson, Maryland in 1965. This same year, Bill became a member of the Knights of Columbus, Father O’Neill Council No. 4011. Bill is a Past Grand Knight, a Former District Deputy, a Past Faithful Navigator and a member of the Fourth Degree. The Father O’Neill Council members became extended family to both Bill and his wife Dolores. Bill was especially passionate about the council's bike program where he helped collect, repair and distribute bicycles.
Bill was an avid golfer and loved to travel with his wife and friends. He also had a love for baseball which began when he played as a young boy. In the late 1960’s, he was actively involved in the Lutherville Timonium Rec-council and coached youth baseball for many years. The Baltimore Orioles were near and dear to his heart. He enjoyed watching them play any chance he had.
He is predeceased by his beloved wife Dolores, who passed away on June 18, 2022. His son William J. Santo and brother Donald Santo, and sister Patricia (Santo) Diechman. He was a loving father to his children: Robyn Marie Avara and her husband Michael, Michael Stephen Santo, Judith Ann Sokolowski and her husband John. A proud Pop-pop to his 8 Grandchildren: Joshua, Jacob, Michele, Jeffrey, Reese, Jaclyn, Dale and Kendall. A wonderful Uncle to Lisa, Rick, Megan and Ashley. A caring great-grandfather to his 6 great-grandchildren. He will be deeply missed by his entire family.
The family will receive friends in the LEMMON FUNERAL HOME OF DULANEY VALLEY INC., 10 W. Padonia Road (at York Road) Timonium, MD 21093 on Tuesday, July 2, 2024 from 5 to 8 pm. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, 200 Ware Avenue, Towson, MD 21204 on Wednesday, July 3 from at 10am. Interment St. Joseph Cemetery, Fullerton, MD.
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