Tina Sammartino

TINA SAMMARTINO, 86, of Little Rock, died October 13, 2016 after a brief illness. Tina was born on September 28, 1930, in Rochester, New York. She was preceded in death by her husband Peter Sammartino, and seven of her 10 siblings. She is survived by her son Fred Sammartino and his wife Brenda van der Beek, of North Andover, Massachusetts; her grandchildren Kevin Sammartino and his wife Lexi, Mark Sammartino, and Tessa Sammartino; her daughter Gael Sammartino and her husband Jim Hathaway, of Little Rock; her beloved sister Donna Casper and husband Bob of Rochester, New York, her sister Theresa McCorry, and her sister Rita Rhoides and her husband Chris, also of Rochester. Also mourning the loss of Tina are her daughters-in-heart Guy Anne Ransom and Janet Curry, and her granddog Jenny, surely the best dog ever.

Tina and Peter started their family in Niagara Falls, New York, lived for a time in Grand Island, New York, and then Richmond, Virginia, where Peter worked for Reynolds Aluminum. They moved to Little Rock in 1970. Tina regarded raising her children to be her finest accomplishment.

Intelligent, curious and always engaged, Tina was a skilled bridge player. Achieving the rank of Advanced Senior Master, she and Peter often traveled to national tournaments, where she was very proud of playing a duplicate hand better than Omar Sharif. Later in life, she turned her powers of analysis to selecting the best slot machines with her great friend Ardell Duty. If she had her way, Tina would always have dessert first, and she insisted on four raviolis instead of three at Bruno’s. Tina delighted in a wide range of music, from Frank Sinatra and Barbara Streisand, through Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, to Neil Young and Elvis Costello, and she had a bewildering fondness for Barry McGuire’s "Eve of Destruction." She loved watching Tiger Woods, didn’t much care for Phil Mickelson, and hated Donald Trump with every fiber of her being. Tina was passionate in her beliefs, but there has never been a sweeter person. She never met a stranger, and she will be missed by everyone who took the time to know her.

The family will be receiving visitors on Tuesday October 18, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at 327 Midland Street in Little Rock.

Memorials may be made to C.A.R.E., Central Arkansas Rescue Effort, at careforanimals.org. Her memory can also be honored by voting for anyone for President other than that "horrible, horrible man."
Cremation arrangements entrusted to Arkansas Cremation. www.ArkansasCremation.com.

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Tina Sammartino, please visit our Tree Store.