Mary A. Santaniello, 87, of StoneRidge Senior Independent Living Community, passed away peacefully on Friday, December 23, 2022, at Avalon Health Center in Mystic. She was born in Providence, RI on February 23, 1935, and was the daughter of Amelia (Talamini) and Earl F. Mahar, Sr. She married Salvatore R. Santaniello on May 7, 1955 in Providence, RI.
Mary graduated from Bay View Academy, Riverside, RI in 1953. Receiving a Certificate in Medical Technology from St. Joseph’s Hospital in Providence, RI, she worked for 2½ years at Kent County Hospital in Warwick, RI before moving to Mystic in 1958. Mary was an active member of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Mystic and a member of the Daughters of Isabella. After raising her four children, she trained as a Teachers’ Assistant and worked for the Groton School System for 20 years at several schools including Cutler Jr. High School, S.B. Butler and Pleasant Valley Elementary Schools.
Mary was a wonderful, caring mother and grandmother who enjoyed being involved in her community. While bringing up her children she volunteered for the Mystic Junior Women’s Club, Mystic Academy Library, local Brownies and Girl Scouts troops, Little League and Babe Ruth in Mystic, as well as Miss Softball America. She was an amazing cook and shared her Italian cooking skills by making wonderful meals (stuffed shells a highlight) for her son’s R.E. Fitch High School and Connecticut College basketball and soccer teams. A huge fan of her grandchildren, she attended hundreds of their sporting events and music and dance performances. She was also a fan of tennis and UCONN Women’s basketball.
Mary is predeceased by her husband, “Bob;” her son James J. Santaniello formerly of Needham, MA and Westerly, RI; and her brother Donald Lema. She is survived by her sister Jane Mahar; her brothers Earl F. Mahar, Jr. and Warren Lema; three daughters—Patricia Beffa-Negrini and her husband David, of Nelson, NH, Joanne Santaniello, of Newport, RI, and Karen Brender and her husband Scott, of Kirkland, WA; daughter-in-law Shelly Santaniello of Westerly, RI; six grandchildren—Shannon Kelly; Michael, Nicholas, and Kathryn Santaniello; and Samantha and Hanna Brender; and two great-grandsons—Micah and Levi Santaniello.
Her family would like to thank all the caregivers, doctors, nurses, nurses aids, professional staff, and volunteers of Avalon Healthcare Center and Hartford Healthcare at Home Hospice for all the exceptional attention and care they provided to Mary in the final years of her life.
In lieu of flowers, donations to support students studying allied health sciences may be made in memory of Mary Mahar Santaniello to the Mary Mahar Santaniello Scholarship Fund at the University of Connecticut Foundation, Inc. Checks made payable to the UConn Foundation, Inc. can be mailed to:
The UConn Foundation, Inc.
Attn: Data Services
2390 Alumni Dr., Unit 3206
Storrs, CT 06269-3206
There will be no calling hours. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday], December 30 at St. Patrick Church, E. Main St., Mystic, CT. Burial will follow at St. Patrick Cemetery, Old Mystic.