Augustine Thomas Rancatore

Augustine (Gus) Thomas Rancatore, age 19, was born December 1, 2001 to Peter & Monica Rancatore; and died Friday, March 5, 2021. Memories of Family Life Times with Mom & Dad - Augustine walked before he was 10 months old and went straight from a tricycle to a 2-wheel bike when he was only 3…just picked up Peter Michael’s bike one day and started riding it. There is not a time that Mom can remember that that kid was not attracted to an animal, no matter how big or small. Augustine loved dogs and always sought out someone’s pet. Even if someone was walking a dog on the other side of the street, he would yell out “May I pet your dog?” and then we would cross over and spend 10 minutes or so visiting so he could get his face licked. I remember when the Lutheran Village had a Fall Festival and a Herpetologist (for those of you that don’t know what that is…They LOVE SNAKES!!) Mom and Dad stood aside in astonishment as Augustine let the man wrap an albino something or another that was 10 inches in diameter and more than 8 feet long, around his neck…the beginning of his love for snakes. This would be the beginning of numerous amphibians, reptiles, birds, rodents, cats, and dogs that would find a home in our garage or his bedroom, oftentimes without our knowledge. To help use up some energy, every week mom took him somewhere to do something different, weather it was the Zoo, all of the Metropark locations, and anywhere that had playground and picnic equipment. Our last 3 years together, Mom spent driving him back and forth to work, school, and to numerous lawn, landscaping, and snow-blowing jobs, employing herself as free labor, for she also loved the sense of accomplishment when an outstanding job is completed. Working with and being around Augustine could also be a great workout. Augustine is a perfectionist, and it was great to see such a strong work ethic whether it was working on cleaning a grill at work or laboring outside. I am so proud of all the work he completed for clients as well as for Papa, Grandma, Uncle Martin, Aunt Maureen, and Uncle Tom & Aunt Lisa. Siblings - Growing up, Augustine enjoyed the company of his big brother and sister. They were always building forts, throwing mud at each other outside, and acquiring a list of favorite mutually loved TV shows together, and having a “movie night”. Augustine was always very active and ready to take his siblings on an adventure, whether it was by leading them deep into the woods by the house or just riding bikes around the big neighborhoods close by. They also enjoyed hanging out together across the street at the YMCA, Nana and Papa's cottage at Lake Erie, and on Miss Audrey’s and Mr. David's steep sledding hill. Growing up with siblings was a bunch of fun. Peter Michael provided a lot of support and encouragement to Augustine as he grew older that continued to strengthen their untouchable bond. As toddlers and preschoolers, Jessica drew especially close to Augustine. When he struggled with speech apraxia, Jessica acted as his advocate and an expert interpreter (maybe mind reader?) for his otherwise indecipherable communication. She has recently reprised that role and been of great support and a strong advocate for Augustine over these last couple of years, spending significant time with him when home from college; and providing encouragement, empathy, and support during very challenging times. Jessica’s bond with Augustine recognizes him as an unforgettable person and beloved brother that will forever remain in Jessica’s heart and mind right beside Peter Michael. With all of Augustine’s energy, Dad took him on some physically engaging activities, such as the 20 mile rides on the south fork of the Wabash-Cannonball Bike Trail to downtown Whitehouse, Ohio; which provided a nice, fun and delicious intermission and turnaround point: The ice cream stand. It was difficult for dad to beat him there, but less difficult for dad to beat him back. Augustine often went on hikes with Dad throughout the Swan Creek area, finding frogs, toads, snapping turtles, and other inhabitants of our backyard ecosystem. When Swan Creek overflowed one year on Mother’s Day, Augustine enlisted his sister Jessica to rehome fish (some of them enormous) that were trapped in small ponds as the creek’s flooding receded. All of those fish would have otherwise perished a slow death as soon as the volume of water in their various and dwindling puddle-ponds evaporated. Dad also loved to take Augustine and a friend to the waterpark in Marblehead, where they could travel down slides, go on the lazy river, hang out in the pool, and ride go karts all day, with a stop at Bruno’s for some pizza and or pasta on the way home. Augustine also did a lot of campaign work for elected officials with Dad. Grandma provided a lot of great experiences and special events for which Augustine was the beneficiary. These included unforgettable Grandma sponsored family vacations and cruises to Disney World with grandma, mom and dad, and his cousins. Grandma also hosted Christmas Eve, where we could all gather for family time and gifts. Grandma Judy also had a lot of projects around her yard for Augustine as well, and some ancillary business developed with her neighbors, Miss Angela and Miss Mary in addition to yard work he had done for Uncle Martin for the last 4 years. Augustine also looked forward to being with Nana and Papa at the cottage on Lake Erie. He loved to kayak in Lake Erie, and one time fell asleep when traveling back west against the current! He learned some cool woodworking and carpentry with his Papa Rancatore and was later treated to all his Nana’s delicious dinners and desserts, and then she doted upon her “‘lil Augustine”. Augustine has come to love hanging out with his Aunt Lisa, “chewing the fat” on modern issues and the politics of the world, and her food was also a great draw. Uncle Tom usually had a nice back-breaking, money making monster yard project, accompanied by a rewarding trip to the firing range, a fishing excursion or boating trip to tube on Lake Erie, or some other unique and interesting experience. Scholastic and Work Achievements Augustine was blessed with some awesome teachers who also took an interest in his life and well-being along the way, beginning with elementary schools that included Mary Ralph and Amy Hineline; ultimately graduating with a 4.0 GPA and the “Ohio Means Jobs Readiness Seal” from Skyway Career Prep High School in June of 2020. Helping him carry the torch to high school graduation while developing his academic acumen and the motivation to develop essential real life and workplace skills was the outstanding team at the Huntington Learning Center in Holland, Ohio. This team, led by Steve Feldman and the Huntington Learning Center includes Levi, Evelyn, Kelsey, Alisha, the senior Mr. Feldman, Denise, and Jennifer, and everyone Augustine and our family interacted with at the center, over the phone, and remotely. Augustine developed a special bond with everyone there. They were like family to our family, and were a tremendously positive influence on Augustine. Augustine worked full time in the food service industry for the last two and a half years and was in the process of developing a successful yard and landscape business, a venture based solely on referrals that was beginning to thrive due to great rapport with clients, and his attention to detail and high-quality work. Augustine’s Neighborhood Growing up, Augustine befriended our adult neighbors and picked-up odd jobs in the neighborhood. For Cathy Scannell, he mowed, gardened, and watered her garden, especially whenever she was away. His favorite job was watching Abracadabra Abby, her very active Springer Spaniel. This lively pooch often ran away throughout the wooded area near our home and across a busy road, at which times Augustine was mobilized to hunt her down and bring her back to safety at the White Oak Lodge behind our home. Great friend and neighbor Don Fritz provided Augustine many adventures, teaching him to canoe, kayak, sail, hunt, fish, camp, do taxidermy, ride a motorcycle and drive a golf cart, shingle a roof four stories up and some other “test your mettle” jobs. He loved children and took to Mr. Fritz’s grandchildren (Danny, Jackson and Riley) who affectionately alluded to him as “Jungle Larry” due to his acumen with all non-human creatures in the area. He so loved his role of big brother to them when they visited Toledo for the summer. Then there was Mr. Fritz’s brother and retired veterinarian “Doc”, who took 12-year-old Augustine with him on his private jet; they shared the cockpit flying cross country to many distant locations and experiences that he would never otherwise have seen. Doc also fostered Augustine’s love and care for all animals no matter the size, shape or tail, and they often went on very long bike rides all over Toledo. Then, there was Mr. David, who took Augustine on nature walks through the Metroparks which included one of his favorite loves, looking for toads; another love he had was dressing up in his black pin-striped suit for “take your kid to work day”, which was always a highlight of the year for Augustine. Notice here, Augustine did not go with Dad to do boring accounting stuff or with mom to do nursing. He went with Mr. David to court and liked to hang out with Officer Cory. His first job was doing lawn and landscape for Mr. David. The very first time he worked for Mr. David was when he rolled all the Halloween pumpkins down the hill for the deer and wildlife to eat when he was 5. Then, there were Miss Audrey’s awesome Halloween parties for all the children she knew. When Augustine got too old to participate in the fun and games, he was the one driving the lawn tractor for the hayride for the little ones, doing anything he could to make it fun and interesting for the children. Mrs. Mullan could count on “The Crocodile Dundee of Swan Creek” to eradicate the snakes from her flowerbed or garden, which sometimes also turned into being one of his captive friends for awhile. Augustine also worked doing odd jobs and with rescue horses and other animals nearby at the Walnut Creek Farm of “Farmer Ben and Miss Peggy”. Closing Augustine will be remembered for his great smiles, laughs, huge giving heart, and big personality. His practical jokes were hysterical to everyone, as long as you weren’t the victim of the joke (in which case you were probably 100% torqued off). He offered friendship to many, and when he said “I got your back,” it wasn’t just words. He went out of his way to do extra special things for friends. Longtime friends, like Josiah Mendez and Olivia Wolfram experienced his love and loyalty. Augustine was thankful for his east side family and his “brother from another Monica” Josiah, who was born less than 24 hours before Augustine and preceded him in death, passing on 12/6/2020. Augustine also was the beneficiary of strong bonds with Leticia, Marcos, Raiana, lil’ (Car)Melo, baby Amina; and all of the other family members that welcomed Augustine into their lives and homes. Augustine’s relatives that preceded him in death include Grandparents Peter and Doris Rancatore and Virgil Keller, brother Peter Michael, and his Uncle Chad Meyer. Surviving family includes parents Peter and Monica, sister Jessica, Grandma Judy Keller, Martin and Joyce Keller (Kristen, Angelica and Francis), Tom and Lisa Bowser (Christina, Marisa and Gina), and Maureen Meyer (Mackenzie and Reagan). Augustine also leaves behind his dear and loyal friend and son Gotti, his Pitbull Terrier. We are so grateful for all of you who have reached out and shown support to Augustine throughout his life, especially and most recently, Aunt Maureen, Cousin Angelica Long, Doc Fritz, Aunt Lisa and Uncle Tom, Marcos’s family, Pastor Ken and his spouse Joy Spidell, and Keith and Kristen Neubert. This is an overwhelming, heartbreaking loss with a burden we must share with all of you that have devoted so much of your life to a relationship with our family and with our very dear son, Augustine Thomas Rancatore. May he rest in peace, love, friendship, and family for all eternity. Friends will be received at Witzler Shank Walker Funeral Home, 222 E. South Boundary St., Perrysburg from 1:00 pm-8:00 pm on Friday, March 12, 2021. Visitation will continued from 9:30 am-10:20 am on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at St. John XXIII, 2420 N. Dixie Highway, Perrysburg, OH 43551 with a funeral mass beginning at 10:30 am. The church is spacious enough to safely social distance. Masks are required. Live streaming is available for those watching from home by visiting http://www.stjohn23.org/watch-live. The family is planning a luncheon with social distancing protocols. In order to accurately gauge attendance, please RSVP to Witzler Shank Walker Funeral Home at (419) 874-3133.