John R. D'Antonio

John R. D'Antonio, age 85, passed away April 10, 2015. John was born Giovanni Ricardo D'Antonio in Brooklyn, NY on February 11, 1930. He was the son of an Italian immigrant, Tully (Tulio) D'Antonio, and Mary Ruggeri from Florida, whose family immigrated from Italy and Argentina. He had a younger sister Jean. John graduated from Highland High School, Highland, NY in 1948. The family owned a butcher shop and grocery store in Highland, then in Albuquerque, and later Poughkeepsie, NY. John served in the US Air Force from 1950-1955. He was an electronics supervisor and instructor in arming and fuzing of special weapons and was technical observer at nuclear weapons tests in Nevada. John met the love of his life, Albina, while at an NCO dance in Albuquerque. They married in 1953 and had a daughter the next year. The family moved to NY so he could complete his civil engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. He returned his family back to NM and worked from 1957 to the early 90's in various Civil Engineering capacities, private, public and self-employed. He was a registered Professional Engineer in NM with Civil, Hydraulic, Municipal, Sanitary and Structural engineering designations. He served as DOE's Program/Project manager for the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project in several western states towards the end of his career. He helped design and build water, road and university infrastructure throughout the state of NM. The family expanded to three boys and one more girl, thus aligning the family total headcount to John's lucky number seven. John is preceded in death by his parents, Tully and Mary D'Antonio, his sister Jean Grotzer, and his wife, Albina Marcilla D'Antonio. He is survived by daughter, Laurinda Palmer and husband Dennis, son John D'Antonio Jr. and wife Cassandra, son Mike D'Antonio and wife Anita, son Perry D'Antonio and wife Lori, and daughter Gina Gutierrez and husband Walt; sixteen grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. A Rosary will be held Wednesday, April 15, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at FRENCH - Wyoming. Catholic Mass will be Thursday, April 16, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at Risen Savior Catholic Community; 7701 Wyoming Blvd. NE. Interment will take place Friday, April 17, 2015 at Santa Fe National Cemetery. John will be missed by all who knew him.