Doninica Violet Busnardo

D. Violet Busnardo, age 88, of Littleton, CO passed away on Saturday December 30, 2017. She is preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Ernie Busnardo; parents, Maria (Pizzato) and Ben Del Ponte; brothers, Pete and Mike Del Ponte; and sisters, Lena Fantin and Ulanda Marchiori. Violet is survived by her daughters, Mary Busnardo, Lynn (Scott) Taylor, Dawn (Jordon) Wright, Bonnie (John Feil) Pulley-Feil and Laurie (Jon) White; 13 grandchildren; 4 step-grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; 5 step-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews as well as other loving family and friends.

A Visitation for Violet will be held Tuesday, January 16, 2018 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm at Olinger Chapel Hill Mortuary, 6601 S Colorado Blvd, Centennial, CO 80121. A Mass of Christian Burial will occur Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 11:00 am with reception to follow at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 8035 S Quebec St, Centennial, CO 80112. A Committal Service will occur Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 2:30 pm at Olinger Chapel Hill Cemetery, 6601 S Colorado Blvd, Centennial, CO 80121.

Violet and her husband Ernie launched A-1 Scuba & Travel Aquatics Center, in their home, in 1959. Little did they know that what began as a small "dive shop" would one day become an "industry icon."

In the early years, it wasn't uncommon for the doorbell to ring during their evening dinner. The customer would be greeted by Ernie, with a quick handshake, and immediately invited into their home. In no time at all, they would join the family at the dinner table and Violet would serve them a delicious meal, often Italian cuisine. The lucky ones would even get a slice of her famous carrot cake for dessert!

On the weekends, while Ernie was busy conducting open water training dives, Violet was taking care of their five daughters and running the dive store. She was very business savvy and had a knack for making the customer feel at ease. This would ultimately translate to the concept of creating a "customer for life."

Fast forward 59 years and you'll see a dive center that is still family-owned and flourishing, recognized for having trained thousands of divers and helped to improve the very industry these two pioneers cherished.

We are truly blessed to have had Violet in our lives and value the thrill, pleasure, and excitement she and Ernie shared with so many.....…scuba diving!

Rest well wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, fellow diver, and friend.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to either St. Jude Children’s Hospital http://shop.stjude.org/GiftCatalog/donation.do… or to the A-1/WAVES (Wounded American Veterans Experience Scuba) Foundation https://wavesproject.networkforgood.com/projects/44958-in-memory-of-violet-busnardo

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.olingerchapelhill.com for the Busnardo family.