Frank Tarantino

Frank Tarantino, 91, passed away peacefully at home on December 20, 2020 with his loving wife and family by his side. He was born in San Diego, California to Joseph (Guiseppi) and Tillie (Gaetana) Tarantino who immigrated to America from Sant’Elia (a small town near Palermo in Sicily, Italy).

As a young man, he joined his father and three brothers in the fishing industry where he worked as a tuna fisherman until 1950 when he joined the Navy as a Seabee (Construction Battalion) and served in the Korean War. When he returned to San Diego in 1954, he continued to work as a tuna fisherman for six more years. After the birth of his fourth child, he stopped fishing and began working in distribution operations for the San Diego Union Tribune, and as a warehouse production associate at Pepsi Cola where he remained for over 30 years. Following his retirement, he kept busy working part-time in the cafeterias at various grade schools in the Scripps Ranch area where he would make the children laugh with his singing and his jokes, and would spoil them with the occasional extra treat.

He and the love of his life, Nina, enjoyed 67 wonderful years of marriage. Together, they raised five children, traveled the world, and hosted countless dinners and get togethers with their family and friends. His passions were preparing (and eating) seafood, tending to his fruit trees, singing and dancing with his wife and family, and watching the skies for stormy weather. His greatest joy was being with his wife, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. His love and devotion to Jesus and St. Anthony radiated in all he did for us. He had a heart of gold, an infectious smile, a wonderful sense of humor, a sweet disposition, and a beautiful spirit. He was the heart and soul of his family and leaves behind his legacy of strong familial love, generosity, and passion for life. He was one of a kind.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Nina, and their four children, Tillie Battaglia (John), Anna Randall (Kevin), Joseph Tarantino (Paul), and Frank Tarantino (Peter) of San Diego; eight grandchildren, fifteen great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Francine Korch; his brothers, Tony Tarantino, Leo Tarantino, and Pete Tarantino; and his sisters, Anne Hickman, and Rose Patella.

His family would like to thank his doctors and all the nurses who cared for him throughout the years, and want to give a special thank you to Dr. Robert Gillespie for his years of kindness and support, and especially for giving us the peace of getting him home where he could be surrounded by his family in his final days.

Due to the pandemic, a private service will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery on Tuesday, December 29, 2020.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in honor of his love for children through his memorial page here: http://giftfunds.stjude.org/Frank_Tarantino