Anthony Sannella

Anthony "Ted" Sannella, 88, of Punta Gorda passed away January 29, 2012. He was born November 3, 1923 in Revere, MA to Ralph and Josephine Sannella. Ted graduated from Revere High School in 1941. After serving in the US Army in the European Theatre, he graduated from Emerson College in Boston in 1950, majoring in Theater Arts, which led to two exciting careers. In the 1950's Ted wrote, produced and directed radio broadcasts for the Mutual Don Lee Network in Hollywood. He later joined the NY Metropolitan Opera where he produced the Met Saturday afternoon Texaco Radio broadcasts, hosted by Milton Cross. Eight years later, he earned an MS in Education at Queens College, NY, which provided his last and most rewarding career teaching at Long Island City High School and later as a Guidance Counselor in Special Programs for both gifted and disadvantaged teenagers at Sarah J. Hale High School in Brooklyn. Ted kept in touch with his students and gloried in their lives and successes. He also traveled the world and loved telling stories of his many foreign friends as well as Hollywood stars and Metropolitan Opera singers and conductors. Ted moved to Punta Gorda in 1998. He will be greatly missed by his sisters, Carol Varnum of Chelsea, MA and Laura Sauerwein of Port Charlotte, FL and his extended family of nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins and loving friends. Ted was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Eleanor O'Brien, Jean Hederson and brother, Roy Sannella. A service will be at 3:00 pm, March 4, 2012 at Larry Taylor Funeral and Cremation Services. Memorial donations may be made to TideWell Hospice, Attn: Children Support Services, 5955 Rand Blvd. Sarasota, FL 34238 or Share the Blessings Ministry, 3138 Lockwood Street, Port Charlotte, FL 33952. To express condolences to the family, please sign the online visit guest book.