Peter A. Spadanuta

Peter A. Spadanuta, 71, Overland Park, Kansas passed away March 25, 2012. A visitation will be held from 5-7 PM, Thursday, March 29, 2012 at D.W. Newcomer's Sons Johnson County Chapel, 11200 Metcalf Ave. A memorial service will be held at 10 AM, Friday, March 30th at Presbyterian Church of Stanley, 148th & Antioch. Inurnment will immediately follow at Johnson County Memorial Gardens, Indoor Courtyard of Memories. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Kansas City Hospice House, 9441 Ward Pkwy, Suite 100, Kansas City, MO 64114. Peter was born and raised in Long Island, New York. His father, Anthony had parents from Northern Italy. The name Spadanuta translates to a warrior with an unsheathed sword. His mother, Irene was of some Irish descent. He and his mother lived with his grandmother during the war while his father served in the Korean War. Peter went to Baldwin High School and played baseball and soccer. He then went to college for 2 years at Franklin Marshall and then went back to N.Y. where he received his Bachelors Degree in Business at New York University. After college he was drafted and served proudly as a Communication Specialist in the Army in Vietnam. After coming home he worked in N.Y. City for Alcoa Aluminum. He then moved after two years to California and worked in outside sales for Alumax. While there he proudly had two daughters. After 26 years and many sales awards his company transferred him to Overland Park. This is where he met his wife, Pamela. He called her "the love of his life". His company downsized so he worked a few years at Jacobson's in sales. He then worked in inside sales at Peninsula Polymers where he retired in 2011. His life was not always easy, suffering from severe burns, a heart attack, a head injury, lung, bone, and brain cancer, but he always met them with determination, acceptance, and no complaints but always wanted to give hope to others, and wanted everyone to live life to the fullest. He was a loving husband and a kind and caring friend. He loved life and will be missed by so many. Peter enjoyed golf and bowling, but was always a true Dodger fan. Peter and Pamela loved to travel the world, including Italy, Ireland, German, France, and Normandy, as well as covering the U.S. from California to New York. Survivors include his wife of 13 years, Pamela; daughters, Jennifer Wilcox and Kristen Spadanuta, both of California; sister, Kathy McCloskey of Florida; sister and brother-in-law, Lonna and Robert White; nephew, Brian and Trisha White; and two great nephews, Brayden and Noah.