Ida Segarini Tarantino

Ida Tarantino passed away at her home on Wednesday, May 15, 2019. She was 83 years old. Ida was born and raised in Santa Cruz. Her parents were native Santa Cruzans Peter and Mary Segarini. Ida attended Holy Cross grammar school and high school, graduating in 1953. Ida was the first in her family to attend college and enrolled at San Jose State, majoring in Medical Technology with a minor in Chemistry. She graduated in 1957. She became licensed in Public Health Microbiology in the state of California and did internships in Vallejo and Berkeley. She was also licensed in California and Florida as a Clinical Laboratory Technologist. She was employed at Contra Costa County Public Health Laboratory in Martinez, and at Boca Raton Community Hospital in Florida, where she was department head of the microbiology laboratory for five years. She was also an adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University where she taught Medical Parasitology. She returned to Santa Cruz from Florida in 1985 to care for family members and worked at the Santa Cruz County Public Health Laboratory and Santa Cruz Medical Clinic Laboratory. Ida is survived by her two sons Mark (Sharon) and Paul of Santa Cruz, grandson Peter, niece Kathleen Musitelli Kelly (Marc) of Tustin, California, and cousin Harry Gai. Ida was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Evelyn Musitelli, and nephew James Musitelli. Ida was a member of Holy Cross Church, and the Italian Catholic Federation branch #21. The family would like to thank Fr. Mike Marini, Sister Noella McLeod, Tina Kuzio, and Pat Hoga. A memorial service will be held for Ida at Benito & Azzaro Pacific Gardens Chapel on Saturday, June 22, at 11:00 am. Friends and family of all beliefs are welcome. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Santa Cruz County, 940 Disc Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066