This is the obit I wrote for my Dad that should run in the Bangor Daily on Monday.
"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." We don't know if he was familiar with this quote but the man certainly lived it. Julio Vincent DeSanctis III, born 12/4/1943 in Vineland, NJ to Elsie DeSanctis and the late Julio DeSanctis Jr. passed away peacefully on 9/9/11 while surrounded by family after a nine year struggle with cancer. Julio grew up with six younger sisters, Barbara Kay Shapiro, Beverly Jean Johnson, Marjorie Lynn DeSanctis, Jacalyn Rae Matkowski, Cheryl Lee DeSanctis and Nicola Marie DeSanctis and on a street where most of the neighbors were also relatives. He attended Vineland High where he excelled in wrestling and generaled in trouble making and went on to achieve a BA at his beloved West Liberty State College in a mere seven years. At West Liberty he continued his illustrious wrestling career both on the mat and, on occasion, in saloon parking lots. Julio received his JD at the University of San Francisco, much to the dismay of a legion of District Attorneys. He married his high school sweetheart Joan Beverly Donohue, on 8/27/1966, they recently celebrated their forty-fifth wedding anniversary. Joan DeSanctis is currently the pastor at Old Town United Methodist Church and Stillwater Federated Church.
Julio began his law practice in the late sixties in San Francisco fighting to end the Vietnam War before moving on to Atlantic City, NJ to help get narcotic addicts into rehabilitation programs instead of jail, long before such advocacy was common. The program (NARCO) still exists today. Julio and Joan moved on to Pittsburgh, PA where Julio attended seminary and Joan gave birth to their first child, Julio Vincent DeSanctis IV. Shortly thereafter the little family made their way to Bangor. Julio had a short lived career as one of the worlds most interesting taxi drivers before turning his attentions to what would become his lifelong pursuit, driving other attorneys, judges, clerks, cops, witnesses and criminals nuts. In what could only be described as a ravenous desire for justice - and perhaps a bit of just always wanting to be right - Julio stood head and shoulders above the crowd. After over thirty-five years of defense work his reputation for pugnacity and as a champion of the underdog is unparalleled.
The family settled in Orrington where they welcomed their daughter, Francesca Donohue DeSanctis and opened a small convenience store/ice cream & pizza parlor/antique shop and eventual home law office, living there for twenty years. They followed that up with brief stays in Eddington, Woodstown, NJ and are now in Old Town.
We hope that everyone holds their memories of Julio DeSanctis as close to their heart as his family does. Viewings will be held on Tuesday September, 13th from 6pm to 9pm and Wednesday September, 14th from 9am to 12pm followed by a Celebration Service and reception at the Old Town United Methodist Church 744 Stillwater Ave. Old Town, ME 04468. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made toward Cancer Care of Maine at 33 Whiting Hill Rd. Brewer, ME 04412 or The Joan and Julio DeSanctis Memorial Fund at Camp Mechuwana at PO Box 277 Winthrop, ME 04364.
"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend." We don't know if he was familiar with this quote but the man certainly lived it. Julio Vincent DeSanctis III, born 12/4/1943 in Vineland, NJ to Elsie DeSanctis and the late Julio DeSanctis Jr. passed away peacefully on 9/9/11 while surrounded by family after a nine year struggle with cancer. Julio grew up with six younger sisters, Barbara Kay Shapiro, Beverly Jean Johnson, Marjorie Lynn DeSanctis, Jacalyn Rae Matkowski, Cheryl Lee DeSanctis and Nicola Marie DeSanctis and on a street where most of the neighbors were also relatives. He attended Vineland High where he excelled in wrestling and generaled in trouble making and went on to achieve a BA at his beloved West Liberty State College in a mere seven years. At West Liberty he continued his illustrious wrestling career both on the mat and, on occasion, in saloon parking lots. Julio received his JD at the University of San Francisco, much to the dismay of a legion of District Attorneys. He married his high school sweetheart Joan Beverly Donohue, on 8/27/1966, they recently celebrated their forty-fifth wedding anniversary. Joan DeSanctis is currently the pastor at Old Town United Methodist Church and Stillwater Federated Church.
Julio began his law practice in the late sixties in San Francisco fighting to end the Vietnam War before moving on to Atlantic City, NJ to help get narcotic addicts into rehabilitation programs instead of jail, long before such advocacy was common. The program (NARCO) still exists today. Julio and Joan moved on to Pittsburgh, PA where Julio attended seminary and Joan gave birth to their first child, Julio Vincent DeSanctis IV. Shortly thereafter the little family made their way to Bangor. Julio had a short lived career as one of the worlds most interesting taxi drivers before turning his attentions to what would become his lifelong pursuit, driving other attorneys, judges, clerks, cops, witnesses and criminals nuts. In what could only be described as a ravenous desire for justice - and perhaps a bit of just always wanting to be right - Julio stood head and shoulders above the crowd. After over thirty-five years of defense work his reputation for pugnacity and as a champion of the underdog is unparalleled.
The family settled in Orrington where they welcomed their daughter, Francesca Donohue DeSanctis and opened a small convenience store/ice cream & pizza parlor/antique shop and eventual home law office, living there for twenty years. They followed that up with brief stays in Eddington, Woodstown, NJ and are now in Old Town.
We hope that everyone holds their memories of Julio DeSanctis as close to their heart as his family does. Viewings will be held on Tuesday September, 13th from 6pm to 9pm and Wednesday September, 14th from 9am to 12pm followed by a Celebration Service and reception at the Old Town United Methodist Church 744 Stillwater Ave. Old Town, ME 04468. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made toward Cancer Care of Maine at 33 Whiting Hill Rd. Brewer, ME 04412 or The Joan and Julio DeSanctis Memorial Fund at Camp Mechuwana at PO Box 277 Winthrop, ME 04364.
beautifully written, full of love, adoration and humor. a very touching tribute jules. we are thinking of you, your family and your father.
ReplyDeleteJules, this is the best obituary ever written. I know your dad would LOVE it. Thanks for this touching tribute to your dad.
ReplyDeleteYou made him very proud Jules. My love to you, Joan and Francie ~Michelle
ReplyDelete