Curtis John Mallegni

1949 - 2020

Curtis John Mallegni

Curtis John Mallegni was born on October 30, 1949 in San Francisco to the late Silvestro and Geraldine (Curtis) Mallegni. He passed away on January 28, 2020 at Davies Medical Center with his family at his side.
Curtis was the much-loved husband of Kathy (Rende) Mallegni for 42 years. He was loved by his children, Dan Mallegni and Francesca Ohanessian, and their spouses Alexandra and Greg. The lights of his life were his four grandchildren, Colette, Jack, Matthew and Joseph. He will also be missed by his sister, Kathleen Baruch, and her children and grandchildren – Armand, Martin, Gina, Pamela, Zachary, Ava, Nathan and Joshua Molina.
Curtis grew up in the Cow Hollow district in San Francisco. He attended elementary school at Yerba Buena Public School, Saints Peter and Paul School, and graduated from Saint Vincent de Paul School, where he made many dear and life-long friends.
He graduated from Saint Ignatius High School as a proud and loyal member of the Class of '67. He was forever grateful for the support and mentorship he received at St. Ignatius. While in high school, he was the drummer for the Vandals, a garage band well known by many San Franciscans of a certain age. He continued playing the drums as a hobby throughout his life and loved his two Vandal's Reunions in North Beach.
He attended the University of San Francisco for two years and then transferred to UC Berkeley, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1971. He graduated in 1975 from San Francisco Law School and became a member of the California Bar in November 1975. He also earned a Master's Degree in Business Administration at Golden Gate University in 1984.
Curtis practiced law for three years and then in 1979 he accepted a position with Wells Fargo Leasing Company. Over the next 29 years he remained at Wells Fargo in various divisions and retired as a Senior Vice President in 2008.
While banking was his career, his passion was helping others. Curt volunteered for just about everything while his children attended St. Cecilia's School, and continued to volunteer long after they graduated. He was one of the founding members and presidents of the Men of St. Cecilia; organized the first several Pancake Breakfasts; wore a bright red suit for the children on many winter occasions; was the Chair of the Parish Council and a member of the Liturgy Committee; helped couples with marriage preparation;and was a Knight of St. Cecilia Church. For 30 years, he coached basketball, for lower-division teams so that his players would learn to love the game and be a part of a team, even if they would not continue to play after grammar school. He was recognized in 2013 by the Catholic Youth Organization for his many years of coaching.
Curtis renewed his relationship with SI when his children enrolled at his alma mater. In 1995, he joined the Fathers' Club Board and became its president in 2000. Together with the Ignatian Guild, he worked to ensure that students in financial straits enjoyed the same safety net of scholarship aid that had helped him in the 1960s. Beginning in 2003 through 2013, he was a member and later chair of both the Board of Regents and the Board of Trustees.
In his retirement, when Curtis was not volunteering for one of his favorite schools, he spent many happy hours with his grandchildren. They gave him immense joy and returned his love. He was happiest whenever he was with his family. He was an avid reader, a crossword puzzle and Sudoku addict, occasional clarinet player, traveler, Lake Tahoe lover, proud native San Franciscan, and a frequent neighborhood walker. He felt that as he walked through West Portal he had to run into at least three people he knew. He usually did.
Curtis was a very humble man who was always grateful for his family and friends, and the life he lived. He felt that he was responsible for making everyone he met feel valued. He will be fondly remembered and missed.
Friends may visit after 10:00am, Friday, February 7, 2020 at St. Cecilia's Church, 2555 17th Ave., SF. where a Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00am. Donations in Curtis's memory would be appreciated to ICA-Cristo Rey, 3625 – 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110; Saint Ignatius College Preparatory, Father Sauer Academy, 2001 – 37th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94116; to your favorite educational charity; or simply raise a glass of good wine and think of him.