Obituary of Diamonte Bellantoni

Diamante Bellantoni, of Santa Barbara, passed away on April 29, 2020, surrounded by loved ones.  She was 89 years old.

Diamante was born on September 9, 1930 in Greenwich, Connecticut, to Sadie and John Bellantoni.   She was the youngest of five children: sisters Mary and Ursela (Lucy), and brothers Joseph (John) and Anthony. 

She grew up and attended school in Port Chester, New York, where she met her high school sweetheart Joe Corsaro.  Diamante and Joe attended each other’s proms at Port Chester Senior High.  Diamante loved music and the arts.  At the age of five, her mother recognized her gift in music and enrolled her in singing lessons.  She continued studying music and dance throughout her life, regularly traveling to New York City for lessons while she was in high school. 

Diamante and Joe married on November 11, 1950 at St. Mary’s Church in Port Chester.  While Joe worked in the construction field, Diamante worked for a local dentist, saving money for a down payment on their first house.  In 1957, they moved to Monroe, Connecticut, following the birth of their daughter Diane Robin. 

The family relocated to California in 1960 when Joe was hired as a Design Engineer at Vandenberg Air Force Base.  Diamante held various positions at Seaside Oil and Danforth Lab.  She also became a Manager in the home improvement department at Sears.  Her intelligence, quick wit, and personable demeaner allowed her to rise through the management ranks at a time when women seeking promotion faced many obstacles. 

Diamante was devoted to her community and gave countless hours to causes that were close to her heart.  Throughout her life in Santa Barbara, she was an active member of Mt. Carmel Church.  She served as a Docent at the Casa del Herrero Foundation in Montecito and was the President of the Kiwanians Club – the women’s division of the Kiwanis club before they became a co-ed organization.  Diamante was also a committed volunteer with Hospice of Santa Barbara.  She loved the people and the natural beauty of Santa Barbara.  She especially enjoyed long walks and talks on the beach. 

While she adored Santa Barbara, Diamante also loved to travel.  Some of her favorite destinations included China, England, Greece, her father’s home country of Italy, as well as a cruise from Canada to Alaska.  While traveling, Diamante was always open to trying new experiences.  She enjoyed kayaking for the first time at the age of 82, while visiting Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Throughout her life, Diamante’s love of music and dance endured.  On many a Saturday night in the 1970s, she and Joe could be found on the dance floor at the Biltmore.  She sang with the women’s chorus the “Mother Singers”, now known as “The Sant Barbara Treble Clef Chorus”. But more than anything, Diamante loved her family, friends, and neighbors.  She was known to lend a hand to anyone in need. Her feisty sense of humor and joie de vivre were sure to brighten everyone’s mood. She taught many friends how to make red sauce for a perfect lasagna.  She also cared for her mother Sadie until she passed on at the age of 106.

Diamante was loved by and will be missed by many.  She is survived by Joe Corsaro, their daughter Diane Robin Corsaro Young (Kelly Young), and her beloved Chihuahua Chica. 

A private burial will be held on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at Calvary Cemetery Santa Barbara.  A memorial service and mass at Mt. Carmel Church in Montecito will be held in late summer or fall, once COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted. 

 

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