{"id":215276,"date":"2026-04-02T00:07:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T00:07:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/215276\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T00:07:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T00:07:10","slug":"thank-you-fran-santini-beach-talk-radio-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/215276\/","title":{"rendered":"Thank You Fran Santini – Beach Talk Radio News"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a> <\/p>\n

The Estero Island Historical Society President Ellie Bunting has written a tribute to Santini that you can read below. EIHS has decided to revisit their annual meeting agenda to focus on a tribute to the Fort Myers Beach icon.<\/p>\n

The organization will be meeting Wednesday, April 8th at noon at Comfort Hall (5601 Williams Dr). Chef Keven is preparing an informal luncheon and the family will be there to share their memories of \u201cAunt Fran.\u201d<\/p>\n

The public is invited to attend. If you plan to attend please RSVP so they can plan the menu accordingly. RSVP HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

By Ellie Bunting
Forever An Islander: Fran Santini
Fort Myers Beach lost another true pioneer this week with the passing of Fran Santini at the age of 94.<\/p>\n

Although Fran was born in Iona, her roots were firmly planted on Estero Island. In 1935, her family built a home on Primo Street\u2014and Fran joined the first grade class at the brand new Beach School which had just opened in the Mayhew Page cottage on Cottage Street (no longer standing).<\/p>\n

The Santini family story is one of deep island legacy. Seven brothers and one sister emigrated from Italy and eventually settled in Southwest Florida. At one time, the family established a compound on Primo Street, with three Santini homes lining the canal. As Fran once recalled in an interview published in the Observer, \u201cback in the day, there were about 35 Santinis running loose on Estero Island.<\/p>\n

The Santinis left a lasting imprint on the development of Fort Myers Beach. Fran\u2019s father, Joseph Cyril (J.C.) Santini, made his living as a commercial fisherman until his death in 1951 at age 74. His brother, Leonard Santini, became a key figure in the island\u2019s growth, developing the 192-unit Leonardo Arms\u2014the first major condominium complex on the south end of the beach. Today, the Santini name lives on through landmarks such as Leonardo Arms, Santini Marina Plaza, and the Church of the Ascension, as well as through Leonard\u2019s enduring philanthropy via the Southwest Florida Community Foundation.<\/p>\n

Other \u200amembers of the extended family were equally influential. Uncle Godfrey owned the Kleen Fish Company, while his wife operated Daisy Anne\u2019s Restaurant. Nephews Mark and Jay Townley transitioned from shrimping into founding Sanibel Seafood, and Uncle Nick was known for his handcrafted fishing nets<\/p>\n

Fran graduated from Fort Myers High School in 1949. After her father\u2019s passing two years later, she went to work at age 20 to help support her family. Though she briefly worked in Fort Myers, the daily drive didn\u2019t suit her. In 1952, she joined Beach Lumber as a bookkeeper\u2014a position she would hold for an extraordinary 42 years, remaining constant even as ownership changed.<\/p>\n

Outside of work, Fran became a standout in the local bowling community. Beginning in 1950, she and her sister Blanche earned a reputation as \u201cthe pride and joy of Fort Myers area bowlers.\u201d In one memorable exhibition match, Fran defeated nationally ranked bowler Evelyn Teal, scoring 605 to Teal\u2019s 554. She later competed in the 1963 Women\u2019s National Tournament in Memphis, where her team placed fourth. In 1991, Fran was inducted into the Women\u2019s Bowling Association Hall of Fame for Superior Performance. A knee injury eventually brought her bowling career to a close.
\"\"Even after retiring in 1996, Fran remained deeply involved in the community. She was a founding member of the Estero Island Historic Society and served as its treasurer for many years, helping to preserve the island\u2019s rich history.<\/p>\n

Fran also had a deep love for nature\u2014and a particularly special bond with an egret named Iggy. For 14 years, Iggy frequented the Primo canal and often wandered into Fran\u2019s home, where he would watch television with her. He was especially fond of the smelts she fed him from Sanibel Seafood.<\/p>\n

Fran\u2019s memories of early island life paint a vivid picture of a simpler time. She spoke of \u201csleeping pits\u201d dug in the sand where children spent carefree nights under the stars, of roving Christmas carolers, community fish fries, and a time when no one was a stranger at local bars and restaurants. Even Rocco the barber, who worked in town during the week, returned on Sundays to cut hair for island residents.<\/p>\n

Fran cared deeply about the future of Fort Myers Beach. She often expressed concern about overdevelopment, once remarking, \u201cI wish they wouldn\u2019t build any more on this island. There\u2019s too much traffic\u2026 it\u2019s just too crowded.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Her commitment to preservation extended beyond words. Fran worked with the original Town Council to update the comprehensive plan and was actively involved with Matanzas Pass Preserve, Conservation 2020, and the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve.<\/p>\n

Fran remained in her beloved family home on Primo Street until Hurricane Ian forced her to relocate off-island to live with her niece, Carla Townley Middleton. . Even then, she continued to support the Estero Island Historic Society and its mission to protect the island\u2019s history and character.<\/p>\n

Fran Santini was, in every sense, forever an islander\u2014and her legacy will continue to shape Fort Myers Beach for generations to come.<\/p>\n

Reach out to Ellie by e-mail at profbunting@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Estero Island Historical Society President Ellie Bunting has written a tribute to Santini that you can read…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":215277,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[209,211,210],"class_list":["post-215276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral","tag-cape-coral-headlines","tag-cape-coral-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/215276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=215276"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/215276\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/215277"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=215276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=215276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=215276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}