Salvatore Iannazzo, 87, of Overland Park, KS, passed away peacefully, Sunday, August 18, 2019.  Visitation will be from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m., Monday, August 26, 2019, at Passantino Bros. Funeral Home, 2117 Independence Boulevard, Kansas City, MO  64124.  Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, August 27, 2019 at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 4101 E. 105 ^th Terrace, Kansas City, MO  64137.  Eulogy will be 5 minutes before the Mass. Burial in Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery, 7601 Blue Ridge Boulevard, Raytown, MO, 64138.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association .

Salvatore was born in 1932 in Kansas City, MO to the late Kelly and Jenny Iannazzo.  He graduated from Northeast High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology.  He married his sweetheart, Barbara, in 1954.  He graduated from the UMKC Dental School, then earned his Master of Arts in Education.  After dental school, he started his career in the Air Force.  Two years later, he left active duty to practice general dentistry at the Loma Vista Shopping Center in Kansas City, MO, but remained in the Air Force Reserves. To advance his military career, he transferred to the Army where he remained until his retirement after 30 years of service.  He left his private general dentistry practice to teach at UMKC's School of Dentistry, and one year later proudly became a Diplomat of the American Board of Education.  During his tenure at UMKC, he became the founder, developer, coordinator, and director of the Endodontics Program – the only existing graduate Endodontics Program in the country at that time. He left teaching to start a private Endodontics practice on the Country Club Plaza and retired 14 years later. Salvatore loved music and sang lead in the KC Heart of America Barbershop Chorus for many years.  He also sang in several barbershop quartets and in the Kansas City Singers with his daughter Kathy.  Salvatore was proud of his Italian heritage. He studied the Italian language and made several trips to Italy.  He even was the genealogist of his extensive family.  His greatest love was his family, and he served it well.  There was nothing he wouldn't do to help any family member in need to the best of his ability.

He is preceded in death by his parents; his brother, his wife, and his grandson. He leaves behind 3 daughters, 6 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.