Vincent Dominic Carlone

August 18, 1935 - December 18, 2021

Oceano, California - Vincent Carlone died peacefully in his Oceano home December 18 of natural causes, attended by friends. He had been a long-time resident of the Central Coast, having come to the area in 1961 to teach English in the Santa Maria Union High School District, teaching during his 30- year career at both Santa Maria and Righetti high schools. He retired in 1991 and travelled widely until illness and the pandemic shut-down kept him close to home.

Born in Chester, PA to Nicola Carlone and Regina Porreca Carlone, he was the youngest of 6 siblings. Lillian, Agnes, Nicholas, Rita and Anne Marie have all predeceased him. His father immigrated from the Abruzzo region of Italy as a young man and found a job in the steel mills of Chester. Vince's mother was born in Philadelphia of Italian immigrants. Vince loved his family and often reminisced about life with them — their values, the vegetable garden which supplied so much of the family meals, dances, reunions with extended family. He loved his neighborhood and the hard-working people who were close to the Carlone's. Like his siblings, he attended Chester High School, graduating in 1953.

Four years later, he graduated from Penn State as an English major. He had been president of the Future Teachers Chapter and was a member of Kappa Phi Kappa, the education fraternity. But before he started his teaching career, he joined the U.S. Army and began his world travels by shipping out to Germany where he played drums in the base band. After completing his service, he taught in Ventura County for a year and then came to Santa Maria where he taught English and counseled students. He was a popular and admired teacher, appreciated by students and fellow educators and participating in many of the extra activities of school life. One semester, for example, he directed an act from Lorca's play Blood Wedding in competition with two other non-drama teachers who also tried their talents at directing.

While he was teaching, he earned a Master's Degree in education from Cal Poly. At one point on a leave of absence or sabbatical, he attended Perugia University in Italy to study the Italian language and literature. When he wasn't teaching or going to school himself, he travelled, especially in Europe, making friends wherever he went and perfecting his language acquisition, until eventually he could speak fluent Italian, French and some German. Towards the end of his career, he chose to teach half the year and to travel the other half. He became a regular, part time resident of Paris, Brussels, London and various German and Italian cities. And always, on his way to and from Europe, he would visit his family in Pennsylvania and the East Coast. One year when he returned home, he was implored by SMUHS to rescue their French classes. The French teacher had suddenly resigned and Vince stepped in, staying until the end of the year.

One of Vince's great loves was opera. Every year he would treat friends to a night at the SLO opera. Also, for a few years he was a volunteer with the opera program at Cuesta College where he tutored student performers in their pronunciation and phrasing. He prepared for each class by listening to the opera (he had an extensive collection of opera records) and reading the libretto as he listened. And he loved to sing. A highlight for him was singing the leading baritone part in South Pacific, presented in Pismo Beach. He was the romantic lead, a sophisticated European, who sang "Some Enchanted Evening."

Although he never married and has no children to mourn him, Vince leaves an extensive family of cousins and their children and grandchildren. In addition, he has a family of friends throughout the world and Central Coast who loved him and value and miss him.

Funeral Liturgy 10:30 AM Saturday, August 13, 2022 at the White-Luttrell Funeral Home, 311 N. Swarthmore Ave., Ridley Park, PA  19078 where relatives and friends may call after 9:30 AM.  Burial Lawn Croft Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to https:// www.operaslo.org/donate/donate-to-operaslo.php