Mrs. Phyllis Passantino (née Hunt) passed away peacefully in her sleep in Torrance, Los Angeles County, California, on Monday, February 22, 2021 at the age of 94. She would have turned 95 on April 29th.
Mrs. Passantino was born on April 29, 1926 in Pittston, Pennsylvania to Hedwig “Hedy” Hunt (née Anton) and Earl Hunt, a sign painter. She attended grade school from 1931 to 1941, when she was taken out of school to help raise her infant sister Suzanna (“Zannah”) after their father died in an accident and their mother had to go to work full-time. Relocated to Brooklyn, she became a model with the Harry Conover Agency in 1944 and modeled professionally in print and television for over 8 years, and got to travel to numerous countries. Also a talented singer, she sang in a local trio, “Spurs of the Moment,” that performed swing music for some WWII troops. In 1952, she married Joseph E. Passantino, a successful printing company owner, professional movie and still photographer and U.S. Army Signal Corps 1LT who served in Kunming, China in WWII. After marrying and moving to uptown Manhattan, Mrs. Passantino became a fine housewife, cook, and mother to Nina. Other pastimes were knitting and sewing. Under her husband Joe’s tutelage, she also learned to play tennis and golf. They liked entertaining, and were also avid ballroom dancers. Since Joe spoke 5 languages, Phyllis also acquired the basics of French, Italian, and Spanish. Phyllis enjoyed smiling and greeting people, and her friendliness had a way of warming all who met her.
Mrs. Passantino is survived by her daughter, Nina Beck, of Redondo Beach, California; her granddaughters, Alicia Beck and Katrina Beck, of Pasadena and Santa Barbara, respectively; and her younger sister, Zannah Keats, of Elkton, Maryland. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Joseph E. Passantino, of Manhattan, New York City, NY, and her older sister, Doris Stauffer, of Hillsboro, Oregon.
Condolences may be sent to Nina Beck at [email protected]. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to the American Cancer Society in Mrs. Passantino’s memory (cancer is what her beloved husband Joe passed away of, in 1978).
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.9.5