Martin Peter Carlassare

• Martin Peter Carlassare, age 86, passed away peacefully and comfortably on Saturday,
• May 2, 2026. A resident of South Pasadena, Monterey Hills, and surrounding areas
• since 1962, Marty was born at Roseland Community Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. He
• was the “Sonny Boy” of the late Italo Carlassare and Alice Carollo. He attended
• Gompers Elementary School and Fenger High School also in the Roseland
• neighborhood of Chicago. With the exception of being quarantined for 6 months with
• polio, he had an idyllic childhood, surrounded by a large extended family and was
• granted the freedom to roam the neighborhood and play with friends until dinner time.
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• The first in his family to attend college, Marty graduated from the University of Illinois
• Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (specializing in
• Construction Engineering) in 1962. After graduating, he made a road trip to booming
• Southern California with five close friends from college where they launched their
• careers.
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• Marty worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Los Angeles District) for 30 years
• as a Civil Engineer and later as Chief of Design Section A from 1962 to his retirement in
• 1993. He had good mentors and friends at the Corps who encouraged him to earn his
• Master’s degree. Marty returned to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for one
• year, earning a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering (specializing in Soil Mechanics) in
• 1965. During his career with the Corps, he was a standout member of the Engineering
• Division where he shaped vital infrastructure and civil works projects, including dams,
• flood control channels, and reservoirs. He was proud that the projects he led came in
• on-time and under-budget. He loved the camaraderie of the office and made lifelong
• friends with many of his colleagues.
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• In his free time, Marty enjoyed playing golf, eating pizza, playing games with his friends
• and family, going to the racetrack, and treasure hunting at garage sales. He was a good
• Italian cook and could make gnocchi, risotto, and ravioli from scratch, just like his mom.
• He loved movies, especially those from the Golden Age of Hollywood, and was a true
• movie buff. Among his favorite films were The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, Chicago,
• and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
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• He was a lifelong collector, enjoying the thrill of the hunt, with interests ranging from
• ancient coins to Disney collectibles to baseball cards. Above all, he enjoyed spending
• time with friends and family, telling stories, reminiscing, and having a good laugh. He
• didn’t take life too seriously and he could find humor in any situation. He delighted in his
• own humor so much that he would make himself laugh as he told a story or crafted a
• comeback, which in turn would make those listening laugh even more.
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• He was a devoted father to his three daughters: Andrea, Beth, and Cathy Carlassare
• (who he liked to refer to using the shorthand “ABC”). He was once married to their
• mother, Cynthia Conant, who remained his life-long friend and neighbor. He was
• “Grandpa Pizza” to five grandchildren: Addison Perry (age 24), Ava Perry (age 18), and
• Mia Perry (age 16), Milo Carmel (age 4), and Luca Carmel (age 2). He was the brother
• of the late Geraldine Fugger of Lansing, Illinois and was “Uncle Martin” to many in
• Chicago.
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• He was an example of how a kind heart, a good sense of humor, and hard work can
• truly make a positive difference in the world.
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He lives on in the hearts and memories of his family and friends.