A beloved son, brother, and friend, Joseph Brian Santonastaso, left this world to join his Savior on the morning of October 11, 2026. He is survived by his parents, Clem “Butch” Santy and Susan Mawyer Sims of Deerfield Beach, FL, and his sister Ashley Swardt (Nicholas) of Kannapolis, NC.
Serving the Plantation community with distinction as a police officer for over 20 years, Joey earned the ranks of Sergeant and Detective Sergeant. During that time, he earned Officer of the Month and Officer of the Year numerous times. To Joey, the job was about more than titles and awards; it was about making the forgotten feel seen and protecting the vulnerable.
He did his job the way he lived his life—with humility, bravery, and a strong moral compass. No one ever impressed Joey with their fancy degrees or lofty positions, but with their hearts. Once he loved you, he loved you forever. He loved the arts and literature and was devoted to his dogs, many lifelong friends, and his family. Wherever life took him, he always remained, in his heart, just a kid from Deerfield Beach.
One of his favorite writers, Charles Bukowski, wrote that “we’re all going to die, all of us […] That alone should make us love each other, but it doesn’t. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities; we are eaten up by nothing.” In his 46 years on this earth, Joey maintained an uncanny ability to see the mission beyond the trivialities. He understood that the mission was to love each other. We carry on that mission now.