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February 16, 1934 – December 31, 2022
William Cesare Bulanti February 16, 1934 – December 31, 2022 William “Bill” Cesare Bulanti passed away peacefully on December 31, 2022, at the age of 88.
He is dearly missed by his family and friends. Bill was born on February 16, 1934, in Salinas, California, the fourth child of Atene and Joseph Bulanti. Bill’s mother, sister and older brothers were born in Talamona, Italy, while his father was born in Uruguay. When Bill was 7, the family moved from Salinas to San Francisco, where Bill graduated from Balboa High School in 1951. At the age of 18, he enlisted in the Navy and served four years during the Korean War. After the Navy, Bill continued his college education at the University of California at Berkeley, graduating with a degree from the Haas School of Business in 1959. After college, Bill took a job with Standard Oil of California. In 1965, he opened Bulanti Worldwide Travel in Redwood City, where he would work for the next 35 years.
Bill delighted in sharing his love for travel with local families, as well as organizing and leading trips for groups including the Sons of Italy and the California Teachers Association. Bill also served as President of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA.) On December 18, 1965, Bill married Deborah Ann Deutermann. Bill and Debbie went on to have three beautiful children: Christina “Tina” Ellen (Welsh), Stephanie Ann (Dakin), and William Thomas Bulanti. Bill enjoyed coaching his daughters in basketball at St. Pius Catholic School in Redwood City (where he was also Chairman of the St. Pius Festival) and watching his son play various sports.
Bill and Debbie’s children presented them with nine extraordinary grandchildren over the years. After moving to Emerald Hills in 1993, Bill and Debbie joined St. Matthias Parish, where Bill was very active with the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, serving as President for several years and recognized by the group for his ongoing service. Bill was dedicated to serving those in need and would often bring his older grandchildren along to deliver food to local families. After God and family, Bill’s great love was golf. He enjoyed getting out on the course with friends, colleagues, and his son Billy. He loved Bay Area sports, especially the San Francisco Forty Niners and Oakland A’s.
Bill was an avid reader who also enjoyed fishing, jazz, playing bridge, and a good political debate at the dinner table. Always on the hunt for the best hamburger, he was particularly fond of The Happy Hound in Los Gatos. Bill could grow most anything in the garden, and he and Debbie tended to a backyard full of fruit trees happily together for many years. On his 70th birthday, Bill gave a toast to his family: “I hope that as time goes on you’ll have fond memories of me and Debbie. And when your children have children, and you’re sitting around the table talking about the old days, you’ll say those were good times. And if you can say that, and say ‘we were loved’, that’s about all that you could possibly want.”
Bill is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Debbie; his younger brother Gregory; his children Billy Bulanti and Stephanie Dakin; his grandchildren Jake Herman, Lily Welsh, Shannon Welsh, John Henry Welsh, Spencer Dakin, Jordan (Dakin) Jendricks, Sukie Dakin, Eliza Bulanti, and Ava Bulanti. He is reunited in heaven with his mother Atene, his father Joe, his brothers Charlie and Freddy, his sister Lee, and his beloved daughter Tina. Bill will be remembered for his loving and kind heart, his devotion to church and family, his positive outlook, and his wonderful sense of humor.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, January 18 at St. Matthias Catholic Church in Redwood City at 11am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests remembrances and donations be made to the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. https://ssvpusa.org/donate/
