January 12, 1934 – June 11, 2021
Lawrence “Larry” Aristide Del Santo, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, went home to God on June 11, 2021 at the age of 87.
Larry was born in 1934 in Ross, California to Marie and Aristide Del Santo, later moving to San Mateo where he was raised with his cherished sister, Mary Lou (Brignolo) Harris. He attended Serra High School and the University of San Francisco (USF), graduating with a B.S. in Marketing. Following graduation, he fulfilled his ROTC responsibilities, moving to Germany to serve as an officer in the Army. He lived in Stuttgart for two years, where the first of his 12 children was born.
Larry was considered a titan in the supermarket industry having led both Vons Companies, Inc. and Lucky Stores. He began his career in 1957 for the Vons Grocery Company progressing to President and CEO. In 1975, Larry joined Household International, the parent company of Vons, and was promoted to Executive Vice President. In 1984, he left Household to ultimately assume the title of CEO and member of the Board of Lucky Stores. In 1993 he returned to where he began his career, Vons, as Chairman and CEO, retiring in 1997.
Early on in his life, Larry showed his exceptional ability to lead people. From the football team in high school and college to his early days at Vons, Larry knew every person on his team and cared about the details of their lives. People looked forward to his quick wit and humor to brighten the day. Larry focused on customer service and care for employees. He introduced countless innovative customer service programs and leading-edge marketing campaigns. Companies flourished under his leadership.
