Francis Sirio Morgantini

FRANCIS SIRIO MORGANTINI

December 27, 1935 – August 9, 2022

Happiness and joy

Like a rising spring tide

Lifts all of our spirits

                Francis Sirio Morgantini (Frank) died peacefully at home on August 9, 2022 under hospice care with Hospice Care of the Lowcountry. Along his two year journey with cancer, Frank demonstrated his strength, courage, and deepened his faith.  Frank’s spiritual journey anchored his life. A devout Catholic, he expressed his faith through worship, self-growth, and acts of charity. There were two main parishes in his life: St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Simsbury, CT and St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church in Bluffton, SC.  He attended mass as a lector, cantor, usher, and choir singer. He participated in faith groups, such as Renew at St. Mary’s, and Christ Renews His Parish (CHRP) at St. Gregory’s. Frank’s spiritual journey included pilgrimages to Israel and Medugorje in Bosnia. Frank’s charitable commitment continued throughout his lifetime. He volunteered with many organizations: in his youth, The Boy’s Club, Americares, and NYC Kennedy Center; in his maturity, he served hot meals to the homeless through St. Mary’s; and in his retirement, The Knights of Columbus and The Society of St. Vincent De Paul. He also taught English as a second language, and always supported those in need through monthly charitable donations.

                Frank was ever curious and had many interests, such as music, games, and travel. He loved music, especially opera. In his youth, he traveled to Milan and Paris to attend performances, and while courting his wife, he’d take her to the Metropolitan Opera. He also enjoyed musical theater, country western music, and Dixieland jazz. He loved to sing, and wanted to be a crooner like Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennet. On a Saturday night at a high school dance, he fulfilled that dream.  When he wasn’t singing, he played tenor saxophone in the school’s swing band.  When he was older, he and his wife performed in community-theater musicals; they even sang in a church choir at the Vatican. They enjoyed live theater, and never missed an opportunity to see a show in NYC and on Hilton Head Island. For 16 years, Frank subscribed to Hilton Head’s Arts Theater, and made donations to the Southeastern Theater.

                He loved to play games, and was most competitive when it came to cards (cribbage and scopa) and board games (Boggle). His kids remember fun, fierce neighborhood games of croquette with their father. He was always building things: tree houses, swing sets, stone walls, patios and porches, vegetable and flower gardens. He always wanted to know how things worked, read continuously, and was a gourmet cook.

                He loved to travel. He and his wife Marianne explored the low country, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Niagara Falls, and every city where their kids lived. They traveled abroad to Italy, Ireland, Turkey, and cruised the Caribbean.

                His favorite pastime was golf. A precise game that fit his precision mind. He started as a young boy and played until he was no longer able. In Bluffton especially, he formed lasting friendships while playing golf, most especially his dear friends in the Friday group. He was proud to achieve in his later years a “3 over par,” and he regretted never achieving a hole-in-one.

                Francis Sirio Morgantini was born on Dec. 27, 1935 in West Pittston, Pa, first generation Italian-American, and the middle of three sons to Sirio and Carlina Morgantini. He attended the local high school where he graduated with honors in 1953. He attended Rensselaer PolyTechnic Institute and graduated in 1957 with a BS in Management Engineering. He furthered his education with an MBA in Finance from the University of Hartford, 1978.

                When Frank was a boy, he worked in his father’s store and caddied at the local golf course.  Upon graduating from college, he worked for Ingersol Rand, a Fortune 500 company based in New Jersey, where he developed an interest in data processing. He followed that interest to RCA computers in New York City, where he worked in client management and taught computer programming. While working in Manhattan, Frank met his wife, Marianne Farrell, at a party. She was his destiny, the woman in the green dress. They married Dec. 28, 1963; they were married for 58 years and had three children. In 1964, Frank worked for Singer Corp in management systems. Desiring a change, he accepted a job as systems manager with Heublein in Hartford, CT, and relocated his family from Long Island to Simsbury, CT. He worked for the multi-national food corporation from 1969 – 1982. After Heublein, Frank worked for the Anchorage Company, where he coached job-seekers on finding suitable employment. From there, he free lanced as a sales contractor for southern New England, until he retired to the lowcountry in 2001.

                Frank will always be remembered for his deep love of learning, his faith, his commitment and courage at the end of his life, and all the funny little poems and haiku’s he penned. Rest in peace.

                Frank is survived by his loving wife Marianne, whose devotion to him and care during his illness was a gift most remarkable, and their children, whom he loved and cherished very much: his son Peter and Peter’s wife Dorie, who live in Vermont along with their wonderful grandchildren, Tom, Lydia and John Morgantini; his amazing daughters, Julia Morgantini, who lives in New York City, and Clair and her husband, Matt Case, who live in California. In addition, his two brothers, Dean (Donna) Morgantini and Donald (Rita) Morgantini, and all of his beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.

                The family wishes to thank the nurses and volunteers of Hospice Care of the Lowcountry for their compassionate care of Frank in his final days.

A memorial service will be held on August 30, 2022 at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church.

There will be a 9:30am viewing, followed by a 10:30am mass.

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In lieu of sending flowers, kindly make a donation to one of these organizations to which Frank was associated:

The Society of St. Vincent De Paul, c/o St. Gregory The Great CC, 31 St. Gregory Dr., Bluffton, SC 29910

Knight’s of Columbus, St. Gregory the Great CC, 31 St. Gregory Drive, Bluffton, SC, 29909; kofc12263.org

Hospice Care of the Lowcountry, PO Box, 3827, Bluffton, SC, 29910; lowcountry.synergyhomecare.com

St. Francis Center, 85 Mattis Dr, St. Helena Island, SC 29920; sscm.org 

 Reference “in memory of Frank Morgantini”.

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