Father Francis E. Santitoro, the founding pastor of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, Toms River, died Jan. 29 in St. Francis Medical Center, Trenton. He was 75.

Funeral services are as follows. In Father Santitoro’s home parish, Our Lady of the Angels Parish-St. Joachim Church, Trenton, the Rite of Reception of the Body will be held Feb. 3 at 12:30 p.m. Viewing hours will continue to 2:30 p.m. at which time a funeral Mass will be celebrated. St. Joachim Church is located at 20-56 Butler Street, Trenton.

An evening viewing will follow from 6 to 8 p.m. in St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, 130 St. Maximilian Kolbe Lane, Toms River. On Feb. 4, viewing hours in St. Maximilian Kolbe Church will be from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m.

A native son of Trenton, Father Santitoro was born Feb. 3, 1937, one of seven children of Raffaele and Antoinette Santitoro. He was one of two children in the family to pursue a religious vocation; his sister, Sister Raphael Santitoro is a member of the Religious Teachers Filippini.

Father Santitoro attended St. Joachim School, Trenton, and Trenton Central High School before moving on to study in St. Jerome College, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. He prepared for the priesthood in Immaculate Conception Seminary, Darlington, and was ordained a priest by Bishop George W. Ahr May 28, 1966 in St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton.

As a young priest, Father Santitoro served in a number of parishes throughout the diocese. His first assignment was in Holy Trinity Parish, Long Branch, from 1966-1970. He then spent time in St. Ann Parish, Raritan, from June, 1970 to June, 1973; St. Martha Parish, Point Pleasant, from June 1973 to June, 1979, and St. John Parish, Lakehurst, from April 1980 to August, 1980.

During these years, he also helped to bring other men into the priesthood. He served in the role of Hunterdon County vocational director from 1970-1973 and was then appointed vocations director of Monmouth County. He was the chaplain of the Italian American National Hall of Fame.

In 1980, he was appointed temporary administrator and then soon after, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Hightstown, where he served until 1985. During his time in St. Anthony of Padua, he was chaplain of the Hightstown Court, Catholic Daughters of the Americas.

Bishop John C. Reiss chose Father Santitoro to establish a parish that would serve the growing number of retirement villages in Toms River and Berkeley Township along the Route 37 corridor. On Aug. 30, 1985, Father Santitoro was named founding pastor of the new St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish where he served until he retired as pastor in 2011.

Among high points of his term as pastor of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish was building the church, which was dedicated Oct. 10, 1992, and the parish’s 25th anniversary celebration held in August, 2010.

In addition to his pastoral duties, Father Santitoro was also appointed to the Diocesan Expansion Commission in 1999 for a three-year term.

Father Santitoro was predeceased by his brother, Alfonse; niece, Susann Rocco, and nephew, Domenick Rocco Jr.

He is survived by his sisters Ann Vispetti, Frances Rocco, Marie Santitoro and Lucy Pavlov; two nephews, Anthony and Joseph Vispetti and many other nieces and nephews.

Entombment will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery, Toms River.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Our Lady of the Angels Parish-St. Joachim Church, 20-56 Butler St., Trenton, N.J. 08611 or St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, P.O. Box 4144, Toms  River, N.J. 08756.