Santina "Sandy" Marranca

Santina "Sandy" Giarritano was born December 27, 1926, in Dunkirk, NY.  Her parents were Rose and Pasqual Giarritano.  She had an older brother, Joseph and two older sisters, Josephine and grace.  Sandy's father worked for the railroad and her mom was a housewife.  She doesn't have much memory of her father as he died when she was very young.  They lived in Fredonia for a few years until Sandy's mother got remarried.  her stepfather was an Italian immigrant who spoke no English and owned his own butcher shop in Buffalo.  Once married, Sandy's mom ran the shop waiting on customers and running the store.  Sandy and the family lived over the butcher shop on Busti ave.

Sandy attended schools 73 and 2 in Buffalo.  She quit school in the 11th grade to take a position at Shea's Hippodrome to sell smoking tickets.  Kleinhans was the backdrop for the start of Sandy's romantic adventure.  She met Ross Marranca there at a dance.  Sandy and Ross were amongst mutual friends who socialized together.  They all enjoyed bowling and dancing.  They dated exclusively for a couple of years and then tied the knot.  They honeymooned in Pennsylvania travelling by Greyhound to stay with family.  Neither of them liked to fly and enjoyed the luxury of a scenic bus tour.  They rented apartments for a while and finally bought a home on Tacoma Ave. where they lived for over 50 years.

Sandy worked all her life doing anything to earn money.  She worked at D'Youville in the kitchen, setting tables, preparing salads, and doing whatever she could to ensure the students were fed.  She also worked at Sylvania doing soldering.  Sandy also had a long run at Marine Midland Bank for 19 years doing clerical work.  She retired at age 65.  Sandy's husband, Ross, was a truck driver.

Sandy has two boys.  Paul lives in Buffalo and works for his brother, Michael.  Michael lives in Vegas but owns his own business in this area.  She has six grandchildren, four boys and two girls, and twelve great- grandchildren.  When it was time for giving gifts, Sandy always presented the family with savings bonds.  In her younger years, Sandy loved to bowl.  She also enjoyed a game or two of pinochle.  She enjoyed travelling, especially visiting the castles in the Vatican when on a tour bus in Italy.  She has also been to Hawaii and Vegas.  In her later years her time was spent reading and doing word puzzles.  She has lived a long and fulfilling life and now rests peacefully in the hearts and memories of her devoted, loving and close -knit family.