Joseph Santelli

Joseph F. Santelli Sr., 81, Born in Chicago on December 10, 1938, died March 22, 2020 at Loyola Medical Center. Joseph was a life long Chicagoan. He attended Steinmetz High School in Chicago and Graduated with a Masters Degree in Education from Chicago State University. Joseph married his beloved wife, Arlene (Petrucci) in 1964. He taught Mechanical Drawing and Drafting at Carl Schurz High School for 33 years. He also taught night school at Wright College for many years. Joseph had many hobbies, including photography, stamp collecting and candle making. Everyone in the family has many a candle from Uncle Joe. Joseph also owned A Fudge Business with his wife Arlene. They spent many years traveling around Illinois and Iowa to Craft Fairs selling their very popular fudge. In his free time he enjoyed spending his time at his lake home in Michigan with his family. Joseph loved to read, and always had a newspaper in front of him; he always had many good stories, lots of knowledge to share as well as numerous bad funny jokes to tell. He was a big-hearted welcoming man with a big welcoming smile for everyone that walked in the door. Joseph was the proud father to Joseph Jr. (Holly), Louis, and Phillip (Jennifer) Santelli and the loving grandfather to Anthony, Alex, Joseph III, Nicholas, Olivia, Hannah and Dominic Santelli. He was the dear brother to Rose Marie (Jerry) Brown, and brother in law to Richard (Ruth), Ronald (Ellen) and the Late Eugene (RoseAnne) Petrucci. Fond Uncle to Marilee and Julie Brown along with Many more Petrucci nieces and nephews. In Light of the current situation in our country, the family is only able to do private ceremony and burial for the immediate family at this time. This will be held on Saturday, March 28, at Cumberland Chapels. His final resting place will be at Queen of Heaven Cemetery. A larger Memorial Mass will take place for the Extended family and friends later in the month when the current situation allows the family able to do so. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations in Joseph’s name to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or www.stjude.org.