John Nicholas Calandro
John Calandro passed away on August 4, 2024, surrounded by his children and grandchildren. John was born October 20, 1938, in Detroit, MI. He was the oldest of three children. While he was studying at the University of Detroit, he was set up on a date with Carolyn Hohman, and a match made in heaven began.
He graduated from the University of Detroit with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. John did a short research stint in Greenland while working for the Detroit armory, and then traveled to Santa Barbara, California in 1961 after hearing about a job opportunity. He sent a postcard with palm trees and the Pacific ocean to his fiancé, Carloyn, and she was instantly sold on moving there together. He and Carolyn were married in 1962 and enjoyed their honeymoon on the cross-country move to Santa Barbara.
Over the course of John’s career, he worked at Delco Electronics, helped design the wheels for the Lunar Rover, and spent the majority of his career at Santa Barbara Research Center until he retired as an Engineering Manager at the age of 55. He was blessed with 5 children and 9 grandchildren, and had the uncanny knack of being able to settle any of his babies and grandbabies almost instantly by merely laying them on his chest. He shuttled his kids to countless swim meets and practices at Cathedral Oaks Tennis Club, serving as a timer with his characteristic white bucket hat before bucket hats were cool.
In John’s retirement, he and Carolyn enjoyed entertaining family and friends, traveling the world, attending live theater, and enjoying great food and drink. John was active in Vistas and Unico locally, as he loved learning and his Italian heritage. After Carolyn’s passing in 2017, John lived on his own until he moved into Vista Del Monte in 2022. While there, he made wonderful new friends, told stories, trained to become a Caring Companion, and enjoyed singing in the choir.
John is preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Carolyn, and is survived by his daughters Lisa (Jo), Cathy (Jeff), and Michelle (Butch), and sons John (Eileen) and David (Donna), and by his brother David (Marybeth), and sister Paula (Jack). He is beloved by his grandchildren Maggie, John, Kieran, Samantha, Max, Matthew, Miles, Nicolas and Ava. His family would like to thank all of the doctors who were involved in his care and for the nurses and staff at Cottage Hospital for the many years of care they showed towards John and for extending his life. After one of his many heart surgeries, the surgeon came into the waiting room and told the family, “Your father has a huge heart”. Nobody in the family was at all surprised by this information. We will miss his kindness, his stories, his terrible jokes, and his love. The world has lost a genuinely good man who found the bright side in every situation. He will be interred at the Santa Barbara Mission.
John’s family suggests that any donations in John’s memory be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, in honor of Carolyn.