Vincent John Unsinn

1928 - 2016

Vincent John Unsinn

June 8, 1928 - May 11, 2016

Vincent recently passed quietly at home in the presence of his loving family after battling cancer. Vince was the second of two sons born to John and Ethel Unsinn in San Francisco. He grew up with his older brother John (Jack) on Broderick St. near the Panhandle, attended Sacred Heart Grammar School, and was the quintessential City kid. In his teens, the family moved to a new home in the Sunset and Vince attended St. Ignatius High School (Class of '46) where he was a member of the school's first 1945 championship football team. He went on to City College of San Francisco and then USF. He always took pride in being a conservative 3rd generation San Franciscan.
During all this schooling, he met his future bride and wife of 65 years, Irene McCarthy. Soon after, they were married at Star of the Sea Catholic Church in December 1950. The Korean War had just begun, and just one month later he was sent to Seoul, Korea, proudly serving as a sergeant with the US Army as a medic in a MASH unit near the volatile 38th Parallel. He was then assigned to the Reserves, and he returned to his wife and his new son, Richard (Dick). They pulled up stakes and moved to the "country" - the Sunshine Gardens area of South San Francisco. Diane joined the clan soon after and Vince opened up a produce store on Clement St., the Bank Market. The final member of the family, Peter, arrived soon after and the Unsinn family was complete.
He worked hard in the following years to support his growing family, taking positions as a route salesman, real estate broker, and warehouse manager. In addition, he was a founding member of the Mater Dolorosa parish community. He loved listening to music, hunting, camping, and fishing with his family and friends. A lifelong fan of the 49ers, he attended many games, including the first ever at Kezar Stadium, saw "The Catch", Super Bowl XXIII in Miami, and numerous playoff championship games at Candlestick Park. The three SF Giants World Series Championships fulfilled a long time dream. In his retirement, he enjoyed traveling the world with Irene and his in-laws Dorothy and Bob Scholten, and his many friends.
He is survived by his loving wife Irene, his three children, Richard (Maureen), Diane Torres (Rich), Peter, his brother John (Millie), grandchildren Matthew and Julia, his niece Kathleen, nephews Kevin and Keith, Dorothy and Bob Scholten, many cousins, and numerous friends. The family would like to offer their deepest gratitude to Vince's caregiver, Ron, and the team from Pathways Hospice, for keeping him comfortable and the family confident in his care during this very difficult time.
A celebration of Vince's life will be held Thursday, May 26, @ 11am at Mater Dolorosa Church, 307 Willow Ave., So. San Francisco, CA 94080. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Catholic Worker Hospitality House, 672 2nd St., San Bruno or a charity of your choosing. Prayers are always welcome. Condolences may also be made at www.gardenchapel885.com