Maria Santa Zannino biography: 13 things about Baltimore, Maryland native

Who was Maria Santa Zannino?

Maria Santa Glorioso Zannino was an Italian-American model and funeral director from Baltimore, Maryland, United States. She took piano at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore for four years and attended St. Ambrose Elementary School, Seton High School and the Walters Academy of Baltimore all in Baltimore.

Zannino and her husband Joseph Nickolas Zannino Jr. have eight children together namely Joseph Nickolas Zannino III, Rosemarie Zannino Law, Charles S. Zannino, Felicia Zannino Baker, Salvatrice Zannino Marziale, Kathleen Zannino Mangione, “Vincent de Paul” Salvatore Vincent Zannino and Domenico Zannino. Maria Santa was born in Maryland to Charles Glorioso and Felicia Barranco Glorioso.

Born in Greenville, Washington County, Mississippi, USA, Charles was young when he and his parents moved to Cefalu, Sicily, Italy where he was trained as a shoemaker. After serving in the Italian Navy during World War I, he went back to the U.S. where he worked as a cook with several Italian specialties and operated shoe repair shops.

Felicia was born in Washington, D.C., USA to Domenico Barranco and Maria Santa Alcarese Barranco, who were both born in Italy. After high school, Maria Santa worked as executive secretary to the controller and treasurer of the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

Maria Santa also competed for the Miss Maryland title. Here are 13 more things about her:

1. On April 5, 1944, her grandfather Domenico died in Baltimore at age 59.
2. In the 1950s, she pursued a career in modeling.
3. In 1951, she graduated from Seton High School.
4. In 1952, she graduated from the Walters Academy of Baltimore.
5. In 1957, she and Joseph Jr. got married with Constance Fava Piracci as the maid of honor and Andrea Mastellone as the best man.
6. In 1958, her husband Joseph founded the Joseph N. Zannino Jr. Funeral Home in Baltimore.
7. In 1965, she joined the Joseph N. Zannino Jr. Funeral Home as the funeral director.
8. On July 21, 1970, her grandmother Maria Santa died at age 79 in Guilford, Baltimore after a long illness.
9. On September 18, 1988, her father died at age 87 after a short illness at St. Joseph Hospital in Maryland.
10. On February 23, 2006, her mother died in Maryland at age 95.
11. On March 10, 2011, her sister Concetta Glorioso Muffoletto died in Maryland at age 79.
12. On January 15, 2013, she turned 80.
13. On August 24, 2013, she died in Maryland.

Maria Santa’s daughter Kathleen gave birth to MariaSanta Zannino Mangione in January 1990, Lucia Zannino Mangione in June 1992 and Luigi Nicholas Zannino Mangione on May 6, 1998 all at Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Towson. Luigi allegedly fatally shot UnitedHealthcare chief executive officer Brian Thompson in Manhattan, New York City on December 4, 2024 and was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA on December 9, 2024.