John C. Santoro

Santoro, John Charles, 47, died Monday, September 15, 2008. John was born in the Bronx, New York, and grew up in Orangeburg, New York. When he was fourteen, John learned that he had Friedreich�s ataxia, a rare neuromuscular disease, but John was determined to live life to the fullest. He moved to Florida to attend the University of South Florida, and during summer breaks he worked in the engineering departments of Honeywell and Allied Bendix. After graduating from USF, he attended Abilities of Florida. He worked for five years as a computer programmer at Sophisticated Software in Clearwater. From 1997 until his death he worked as a computer programmer for Pinellas County Schools. John was an avid New York Giants fan, a lover of spicy foods, and an accomplished chess player. His droll sense of humor and determination won the heart of his (future) wife, Kathy, when they met at USF. It was John�s faith in the Lord that kept him strong while his health was failing. One of his favorite Bible passages was from 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: �Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.� John is survived by his wife of sixteen years, Kathy, his sons John and Paul, brother Joseph Santoro and wife Sandy, sister Diane Valcic and husband David, sister Donna Fox, and parents Beatrice and Joseph.