Obituary
Vincent Michael DeSanti of Columbia, MD passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Sunday June 28, 2026, just three weeks shy of his 91st birthday. Over the course of his nine decades, “Vince” or “Vinny” to his family and friends, enriched numerous lives with his laughter and joyful nature, his enthusiasm and encouragement, his compassion and wisdom.
He was born in New York City in Manhattan on July 17, 1935 and raised in Astoria, Queens, a son of the late Joseph and Michelina DeSanti. His parents were hard-working Italian immigrants who instilled in him a strong work ethic, a sense of self-sufficiency, and the importance of family.
A lover of good stories and storytelling, Vince shared many tales about his old neighborhood and life in New York during the 1940’s and 50’s. He loved attending P.S. 122 where, in an effort to avoid the dreaded label of “teacher’s pet”, he cultivated his clowning and mischief-making talents – which would in later years endear him to all the children in his life. Vince could recall every teacher he had, with an anecdote for each, ranging from poignant to hilarious to harrowing. In high school, he was active in his neighborhood social club, which organized sporting matches, dances and other gatherings.
Vince was a life-long learner and a natural teacher. He could converse easily with others about a wide range of subjects and was never at a loss for curious facts and random trivia, especially about history, literature and the earth sciences. The first in his family to attend college, he graduated from City College of NY with a B.S. in Geology. An internship through Columbia University placed him on a vessel north of the city assisting with oceanic research, and he spent a summer in Louisiana and Texas working for the U.S. Geological Survey.
He went on to pursue a graduate degree in a brand-new geology program at the University of Alabama, where he would meet his first wife and bring his first daughter into the world. As a city kid, Vince had a somewhat romanticized image of the South and would often laugh about the culture shock he experienced moving from New York to Alabama. While at UA, he befriended an English professor who helped him get a job writing technical manuals for the rocket engineering students and researchers working in Dr. Wernher von Braun's premier aerospace research hub there. When it became evident to Vince that the geology program was not what he had hoped for, he switched concentrations and earned his M.A. in English.
From Alabama, Vince moved his young family to Baltimore, MD where his second daughter was born. He took a position at Martin Marietta, a primary aerospace contractor for NASA in the 1960's, continuing as a technical writer and editor for the engineers. From there he was hired as an abstracts writer with Documentation Incorporated (Doc Inc), a pioneer company in the field of information science and computer technology and a major technology contractor for the U.S. government. It was during his time at Doc Inc, in the Washington, D.C. suburbs, that he met his second wife and soulmate, Dana (Palmer) Galbraith - also a divorcee with two children of her own, who shared the same birthday. Vince then became a project manager for the Stanford Research Institute where he was contracted with the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) designing, organizing and delivering regional training seminars to state and local government officials in 27 states. He left Stanford Research for a full-time position with the OEO as Intergovernmental Liaison Officer in Washington, DC. In 1968 Vince and Dana married, and by 1972 their blended family had grown to five daughters and a son. When the OEO was dissolved, Vince found a new position as a director in the Division of Information Management & Technology with the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO), and in 1976 he moved his family to the new ‘planned community’ of Columbia, MD. Throughout his career, Vince utilized his dual background in science and writing to author several highly-regarded policy papers and sourcebooks on how the federal government handles scientific, agricultural, and electronic data dissemination.
Following early retirement from GAO in 1993, Vince continued to be active in his community, working as a part-time faculty member at Howard Community College’s Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Development. He served as job coach and trainer at the Howard County Detention Center and the Howard County Department of Social Services, and he worked as a TESOL instructor for the Project Literacy Program in the Howard Country Library System. Certified in the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator, he particularly enjoyed helping people - especially mid-career and older workers – find jobs best suited to their personalities.
Service to others was an important part of Vince’s life. Active in the Benjamin B. French Masonic Lodge during his years in Washington, DC, he also volunteered with the Columbia Festival of the Arts, 40-Plus INC, ARC of Howard County, and the Maryland Satsang Society. Vince was a beloved and respected friend and teacher within his spiritual community of Eckankar for 45 years.
His favorite pastimes included going to the theater, watching classic films, reading, writing, working out at the gym, gardening and birdwatching. He loved music and singing, and he will be fondly remembered for his impromptu tunes on the mandolin and harmonica.
His great joys in life were spending time with his family, traveling to new places, and camping, hiking and swimming in the great outdoors. After retirement, Vince and Dana took several cross-country trips in their camper van exploring state and National parks and visiting historic sites along the Lewis and Clark Trail, up to British Columbia and down the California coast to Monterey. In his lifetime, Vince was able to experience most of the U.S, many parts of Canada and several regions of Italy.
In addition to his parents, Vince was preceded in death by his brother, Donato DeSanti. He will be deeply missed by his devoted wife and best friend of 58 years, Dana Lee DeSanti, their large and loving family, and many friends.
He is survived by his six children, Andrea DeSanti (Jim Raistrick) of Windsor Mill, MD; Cristianne Freiert (Joseph) of Hanover, PA; Lezlie Torkelson (Richard) of Saratoga Springs, NY; Scott DeSanti (Norma Jean) of Moore, OK; Maia DeSanti (Scott Burgess) of Philadelphia, PA; and Arianna Berkowitz (Matthew) of Columbia, MD - as well as a nephew and three nieces, eleven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
A memorial service and celebration of life for his family and friends is planned for August 29, 2026. Details below.
In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes memorial donations in honor of Vincent M. DeSanti to Shenandoah National Park or the MD Satsang Society.
Contributions may be made online at:
www.snptrust.org and https://eckankarmaryland.org/donate
Autobiography
When Vince turned ninety, he was given a book with questions and prompts to record memories and stories from his life. He began to get some of those life facts down in writing a few months before his death. Though he was only able to get as far as his childhood years, we are sharing what he recalled in his own words….
BEGINNINGS:
Born on July 17, 1935 at 12:00 PM
Named Vincenzino (little Vincent)
Named after maternal grandmother, Vincenza
If given a choice would have picked Michael for myself.
Born in Manhattan, New York City, at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital (upper east side, overlooking East River)
When I was born, my father was 33 years old, and mother was 27
I had an older brother when I was born, named Donato. He was seven years of age and died of mastoiditis when I was a year old.
The year 1935 was the height of the Great Depression. Italy invaded Ethiopia, Social Security was signed into Law. In movies, Mutiny on the Bounty came out that year as did Top Hat, The Lives of a Bengal Lancer, and The Bride of Frankenstein.
Best actor and actress were Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert (It Happened one Night)
Popular songs in 1935 were: Cheek to Cheek, Red Sails in the Sunset, I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter, and Lullaby of Broadway.
In 1935 a gallon of gas cost $0.17, Bread (1 lb): $0.09, Milk: $0.57 per gallon, Eggs (1 dozen) $0.28; a movie ticket cost 25 cents, and first class stamp was 3 cents.
Average yearly wage was $1,500; average cost of a new home was $5,000
CHILDHOOD:
Paternal side of family located In Hillside, New Jersey was large and happy, and meals in summer were eaten outside under grape arbor. I liked watching bread being baked in outdoor oven, going in chicken coop with grandma to collect eggs, and picking figs off fig trees
Happy-go-lucky kid; nicknamed “Vinny” by friends and schoolmates
Toys I was attached to included microscope set, chemistry set (learned to make gunpowder); also played with lead toy soldier casting kit involving melting and modeling lead.
Played street games in front of house and later, one block over to be with two best friends
Street games were Ringolevio, stickball, kick-the-can, stoop ball, Double Dutch, Chinese Handball, Handball, Potsy (Snail), hopscotch
Between ages 10-13, music lessons were violin, and banjo mandolin. Lessons taught by Italian “professor” who came to the home once a week and taught Solfeggio method. At age 13 was taught to play harmonica by WWII vet in Hillside, New Jersey.
Regular chores were picking horse manure off the street and depositing around rose bushes in front garden; sweeping or shoveling snow off the front steps and sidewalk.
Dreamed about becoming a scientist when I grew up.
Best friends during elementary school days were Jimmy Thorakis and Ray Bertani. Lost contact after starting high school.
Girl friend I “went steady” with in 6th through 8th grade was Dolores Palazzini. Broke apart when starting different high schools.
Movies I remember loving were King Kong; Abbott and Costello in Buck Privates, and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein; Ox Bow Incident, My Darling Clementine, They Died with Their Boots On, Captains of the Clouds, Mutiny on the Bounty, South of Pago Pago, and Arabian Nights.
Book I loved in early childhood was The Original Mother Goose. Other reading was mostly comics, especially Walt Disney, Looney Tunes. Later, it was Superman, Batman, and then Classic Comics
Songs I remember loving were White Christmas, Sentimental Journey, Chatanooga Choo-Choo, and Riders in the Sky
My 6th grade teacher had a big influence on me. She was the school’s music teacher. She instilled self-confidence in me, and at some point, appointed me the flagbearer during our assembly meetings. My friends thought I was the teacher’s pet—I guess I was.
Videos
Memory wall
May the blessings be,
Brenda Agunyego
I am saddened by the news of Vince 's passing.
We had some fun times (sad ones, too) growing up in Astoria, attending P.S.122, swimming in the pond at Aunt Lena and Uncle Joe's summer place in Hopewell, N. J.
I am sorry we didn't have the opportunity to exchange some of those precious stories.
But, there was a gentleness in Vince's nature which I will always remember fondly.
I am so sorry for your loss. Please extend my condolences to your family, as well.
I wish you so many good things.
May the Blessings Be
BEing HUman Mark Wolf
One of Vince’s bucket list activities was to climb Old Rag which we did with Carla and Richard.
Service
10431 Twin Rivers Rd
Columbia, MD 21044
11 am - 2 pm
(RSVPs by August 15 appreciated)
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