Nicholas Ventura

Nicholas Ventura, 99, of Largo, FL passed away peacefully on Sunday June 13th, 2021 at Carrington Place in St. Petersburg, FL. Nicholas was born February 11, 1922 in Kansas City, KS, the son of Giuseppe and Francesca Billaci Ventura. On April 16, 1942 he married his lovely wife Katherine Lenora Beery. They were married for 59 years until she entered her eternal rest on April 21, 2001. Nick Ventura was drafted into the US Army in September of 1942 and was assigned to the 96th Infantry Division Medical Corps. On September 20, 1944 he was involved in the initial invasion of the Philippines at Leyte. He then landed in the invasion of Okinawa on April 1, 1945. Soon after, he was in a cave where they (his corpsmen) had set up an aid station when it was hit by a Japanese mortar shell that collapsed the cave. They were buried for 3 hours before being dug out. 10 of the 19 men in the cave were killed instantly with others dying later. Only 7 men survived. Nick received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star award for valor in helping those men survive. After the attack he was flown to Guam to be treated for his injuries and later to Texas where he received his honorable discharge in 1945. Nicholas was preceded in death by his wife Katherine; his parents Giuseppe and Francesca; his twin sister Virginia (Ventura) Hernandez; sisters Angeline Saragusa, Josephine Curley, Lucille (Sister Angelita OSC), Margaret Kozell; brother Joseph Conrad OSF and daughter Frances Louise Ventura. He leaves behind 5 daughters Shirley List, Barbara Ventura-Genesini, Mary Allen, Veronica Ventura, and Michelle Mulnix along with several grands, great-grands and great-great grands. There are hours, days, weeks, even months and years of stories to tell about his man's amazing life. His family celebrates him everyday and we're all so very proud of his military contributions along with his career in building and architecture thereafter. The funeral arrangements for Nicholas Ventura are as follows: The visitation will be at Larkin & Garcia Funeral Care on Monday, June 28, 2021 from 5:00p.m.-7:00 p.m. The funeral service will also be at Larkin & Garcia Funeral Care on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Mr. Nicholas Ventura will be laid to rest at Leavenworth National Cemetery with military honors at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to defray the cost for the service. Make checks payable to Mary Allen. The family is also asking people to refrain from wearing any fragrances to the visitation or service because a family member has severe allergies.