Obituary of Gabriel P. DeSantis

Gabriel Philip DeSantis, 90, of Apalachin, New York, passed away on June 16th, 2023. He was predeceased by his loving wife of 54 years, Mary Ellen DeSantis. Gabriel was born on November 20, 1932 in Introdacqua Italy, he was the son of the late Eugenio and Genoveffa DeSantis, who brought their young family to the United States at the outset of World War II. He is survived by his two sons David (Washington DC) and Thomas (Apalachin NY) and their respective spouses, Todd and Linda; two brothers, Ernest and Manlio and many loving relatives and friends. Gabriel served his new country with distinction in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. During his four year military term he played football and basketball on the Air Force teams. He achieved a rank of Staff Sergeant and returned home to complete an education in electrical engineering, which resulted in a long and successful career at the International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation. A work assignment brought Gabe and his family to Germany in the 1970s where he and Mary exposed their children to amazing history, culture and food along with meeting their Italian relatives and many new lifelong friends, especially Hans and Claudia Petrushka. Summers on Cape Cod and the New Jersey shore formed the basis of other lifelong friendships, including those with close friends Sally Paniccia (Al), Jack Kinsley (Betty) and Sophie Gosney (Bob), Dick and Sally Masters. Gabriel was a long-time parishioner at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Vestal New York. A Funeral Mass will be offered at Our Lady of Sorrow Church, 801 Main Street Vestal on Saturday, June 24. Entombment will be in Riverhurst Cemetery, Endwell NY. The family will receive friends at the Church from 11am to noon, with mass following from noon to 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to the Broome County Humane Society, 167 Conklin Avenue, Binghamton NY 13903