Louis Francis Meccariello, 91, of Southington, passed away Friday, August 26, 2016 at home.

He was born August 11, 1921 in Southington, the son of the late Domenic and Anna (Nardi) Meccariello. He had retired from Ideal Forging as a Foreman of Tool and Die Makers. He was a U.S. Army veteran. Louis was a member of the Sons of Italy and a parishioner of St. Thomas Church. He enjoyed wood working and was an avid reader. He loved to spend time with family and friends and loved to vacation at Wildwood, NJ.

He is survived by his nieces and nephews, Mary  Meccariello of Southington, Nancy White of N.H. , Patricia Mongillo of Southington, Joseph Meccariello of PA, Anita Andersch of NC, and Elaine “Pinky” Stearn of PA, many great nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brothers, Joseph, Thomas, Pasquale “Pat” and Carl Meccariello and his nephew Rick Meccariello.

The Funeral will be held Monday 9:15 a.m. from the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St. to St. Thomas Church at 10 a.m. Burial with Military Honors will be at St. Thomas Cemetery. Calling hours will be Sunday 4-6 p.m. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Southington Catholic School, 133 Bristol St. Southington, CT  06489.

For online condolences and directions please visit www.dellavecchiafh.com

Richard E. Harwood, 84, died Monday, August 22, 2016 at home. He was marrried to Janet (Ohliger) for 59 years.

The youngest of 10 children of George and Matilda (Fischer) Harwood, he was born and lived in Southington all of his life.

Richard served in the U.S. Army from 1952 to 1954, and retired as plant manager of Cuno Engineering in Meriden after working over 30 years.

Besides his wife he leaves sons, Thomas (Elizabeth) , Kenneth, Keith and Todd (Tammy); grandchildren, Brian (Maureen), Kevin (Holly) and Brianna; and 4 great grandchildren.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Hartford Healthcare at Home-Hospice Care.

Richard’s family will receive guests on Tuesday, Aug. 30, from 4-7 pm at the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 N.  Main St. Southington. For directions and condolences please visitwww.dellavecchiafhc.com .

Anthony S. Pizzitola, 85, of Southington, passed away on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016. He was the husband of Nancy (Pepe) Pizzitola.

He was born on Dec. 9, 1930 in New Britain, the son of the late Anthony and Mary (Lignelli) Pizzitola. Tony graduated from Lewis High School in 1949. He served in the US Army in the Korean War. He was a Master Electrician and in 1954 he formed the Pizzitola Electric Co. which his 2 sons now operate after his retirement. He was active in serving the Town of Southington, Mr. Pizzitola served 3 terms on the Town Council from 1973-1979. He served on the original Charter Commission, the Building Appeals Board and permanent building committee, the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Water Commission, the Police Commission. He also served as a director the Southington Health Association. He was a member of UNICO and was awarded the UNICO Gold Medal in 1984. He also was a member of the Southington Elks, the Republican Town Committee and he was a Director of Southington Savings Bank for 22 years.

In addition to his wife he is survived by his children, Susan Gworek, Sharon and husband Michael Fote, Anthony and wife Debbie Pizzitola , Roslyn and husband John Masciangioli and Thomas and wife Darcy Pizzitola; his grandchildren, Anthony “TJ” , Trisha, Nick, Lia, Laini, Livvy, Rocco Pizzitola, Joe and Jeff Gworek, Christine Macaluso, Michael Fote and Angela Masciangioli and 3 great grandchildren Dominic, Carter and Jacob. He also leaves sisters Rosalie and husband Fern Gagnon and Maryann Gallo and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his son-in-law David Gworek and grandson James Michael Fote.

Tony was a man of Principle who loved his God, his country and his family. He was completely in his element when surrounded by his wife, family and loyal friends.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 9:15 am from the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St. to St. Dominic Church, 1050 Flanders Rd. at 10 am Burial will be at St. Thomas Cemetery. Calling hours will be on Monday from 3-7 pm.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in his memory to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 185 Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield, CT 06109 or Southington Community Services, 91 Norton St. Plantsville, CT 06489

For online condolences and directions visit www.dellavecchiafh.com

Stephen David Sabecki, 69, of Fort Pierce, Florida, died August 26, 2016 in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Mr. Sabecki was born in Connecticut on January 2, 1947 and moved to Fort Pierce several years ago. He grew up in Southington, CT, graduated from Southington High School, and received his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Connecticut. He served his country in the Army during the Vietnam War, and later earned a degree in nursing from Fairleigh Dickinson University. For years, Mr. Sabecki helped others as a registered nurse, and following retirement, he continued to use his professional degree aiding in a volunteer capacity and improving the lives of others through numerous organizations.

Mr. Sabecki was predeceased by his parents, Stephen and Edna Sabecki of Southington and Fort Pierce. He is survived by his aunts, Stasia Fielding of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Dorothy Blondin of Austin, Texas, his cousin, Alice Carman of Austin, Texas, and numerous cousins around the country.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, September 18 at Noon at the First Congregational Church of Fort Pierce, 3601 Kirby Loop Road, Fort Pierce, FL 34981. In lieu of flowers, donations in Stephen’s memory may be made to the church. Burial will take place alongside his parents, with full military honors, at the Veterans Cemetery in Middletown, CT.

The Haisley Funeral Home, 3015 Okeechobee Road, Fort Pierce, FL 34947 handled arrangements.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Stephen’s friends, Alice Fowler and Ben Dombrosky, who were there when Stephen needed someone the most. We would also like to thank all of the members of Stephen’s church and friends who helped him throughout the last year and his care manager, Laura Gray, for her dedication, loyalty, and support.

Paul R. Leone, 93, of Southington, formerly of New Britain, passed away Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016 at Hartford Hospital. He was the husband of the late Emilie (HucK) Leone.

He was born Dec. 3, 1922 in Berlin, the son of the late Ralph and Alessandra (Viscusi) Leone. He was the owner of the former Amoco Station on Queen St. and later, owner and operator of Leone’s Used Cars in Southington. He was a veteran of WW II serving in the U.S. Army as a rifleman and was awarded the Purple Heart for being wounded in France. Paul was a lifelong member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

He is survived by his children, John Leone and his wife Geraldine of Union, Susan Kendi and her husband James of Winchester Center and Paul Leone Jr. of Waterbury. He also leaves behind his grandson Michael Leone and his wife Kimberly of Union, and great- grand children Mason and Colin Leone. He also leaves behind his brother Mario Leone of Harwinton and sisters Elizabeth Tedesco and Vicky Rosati and husband Peter both of Southington and several nieces and nephews.

Paul was predeceased by his sister Carmella Catucci.

After his retirement, Paul traveled extensively visiting Hawaii, Florida, Alaska, Georgia, Idaho and Mexico, traveling in his motor home with his faithful canine companion “Tiger”. Paul also had a passion for fishing and made many good friends along the way. He was always there if you needed help, no matter who you were.

Calling hours will be Wednesday, September 7 from 5-7 pm followed by a service at 7, at the DellaVecchia Funeral Home 211 N. Main St. in Southington. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. Donations may be made in his memory to: ASPCA, PO Box 96929, Washington, DC 20090-6929 or the VFW Post 2138, 3272 Main St. Rocky Hill, CT 06067. For online condolences and directions please visit www.dellavecchiafh.com

Eileen (Gray) Lunn, 88, of Plainville, passed away on September 2, 2016, at The Pines of Bristol surrounded by her loving family.  She was the wife of the late Donald P. Lunn.

She was born on July 8, 1928, in New Britain, and was the daughter of the late William and Catherine (Kennedy) Gray. Eileen was a member of Apple Valley Worship Center in Southington.

She is survived by her daughters Catherine Dickey and her husband Charles of Jeffersonville, NY, Diane Dionne of Martinsburgh, PA and Rosemary Bilyou of Newburgh, NY , along with her son Mark Gray of CA.

Eileen is also survived by 18 Grandchildren, several great-grandchildren, and her brother William Gray and his wife Ann of PA. She is also survived by sisters-in–law Jean Gray of New Britain, Caroline Miller of Plainville, Irene Graham and her husband Reginald of St. Petersburg, FL, and Isabelle Gregg of Stafford Springs, CT. She is also survived by a brother-in-law Jerome Petrocione of Plainville along with several nieces and nephews.

She was pre-deceased by her three sons John Lunn Sr., William Lunn and Stephen Lunn along with her brother John Gray.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 10, at 11 am at the Apple Valley Worship Center, 594 W. Center St. Ext. in Southington 06489. There are no calling hours and burial will be at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the church. For directions and online condolences visit www.dellavecchiafh.com

Barbara (McNamara) Boyle, 82, of Southington, passed away on September 4, 2016 at home surrounded by her family. She was the beloved wife of John F. Boyle for over 60 years.

Born August 22, 1934 in Elizabeth, NJ, she was the daughter of the late Bartholomew and Martha (Sharkey) McNamara.

Barbara was a parishioner of St. Dominic Church. She was an avid golfer, mahjong and Bocci player. She loved to knit and read.

In addition to her husband she is survived by her four children, John P. Boyle of Jupiter, FL, William J. Boyle of Alexandria, VA, Eileen Boyle of Norwalk and James P. Boyle of Jupiter, FL; five grandchildren, Kellie Rivera, Erin Fish, Connor Boyle, Bradley Fish and Megan Boyle and a great grandson, Conal Rivera. She was predeceased by a brother William McNamara.

A mass of Christian burial will be held on Monday, September 12, 2016 at 9:15 am from the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St., Southington to St. Dominic Church, 1050 Flanders Rd., Southington for a mass at 10 am. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. Visitation will be Sunday, September 11, 2016 from 2-5 pm. For online condolences and directions please visit, www.dellavecchiafh.com

Stanley J. Pozucek Jr., 75, of Southington, passed away suddenly on Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016 in Rhode Island. He was the beloved husband of Barbara (Stasilowicz) Pozucek for 52 years.

Born Nov. 11, 1940 in Derby to the late Stanley J. Pozucek Sr. and Stella (Skiba) Pozucek, he had been a longtime Southington resident.

Stan graduated from Notre Dame High School in West Haven. He earned his BS from UCONN and a Master’s Degree from RPI. He retired from New Departure where he worked as superintendent for 30 years.  After his retirement, Stan founded and ran Signature Builders, Inc. for the last 15 years.

He was a longtime parishioner at the Immaculate Conception Church and a member of the Men’s Club. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, Bristol Fish and Game Club, Southington Catholic School Board and the Rhode Island Salt Water Angler’s Association. His passion in life was deep-sea fishing with Scott and Dillon.

In addition to his wife Barbara, Stan is survived by two children: his daughter Stacy Pozucek and John Brown of RI, his son Scott Pozucek and wife Alicia of Orange and 2 grandchildren, Dillon and Grace. He is also survived by 3 sisters: Shelly Dorsio and her husband Frank of Derby; Kathy Daigle of Shelton and Pamela Esposito and her husband John of Huntington, and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Stan’s memory may be made to the Immaculate Conception Church, 130 Summer St., Southington, CT 06489.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 10, 2016 at the Immaculate Conception Church, 130 Summer St., Southington. Burial will follow in Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Southington. Calling hours will be held from 4 – 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016 at the Plantsville Funeral Home, 975 S. Main St., Plantsville. For online condolences and directions, please visit www.plantsvillefuneralhome.com.

Dorothy (Erbe) Morse, 91, of Southington, passed away on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at the Jerome Home in New Britain. She was the wife of the late Robert C. Morse Sr.

Born June 22, 1925 in Southington, she was the daughter of the late William and Louise (Caron) Erbe.

When Dorothy was younger she moved to Newport, Rhode Island at the age of 14 to work at the Torpedo Factory to help support her family during World War II. Dorothy loved the beach and her favorite place to go was Watch Hill in Westerly, Rhode Island.  She also enjoyed gardening, dancing and shopping, but most of all spending time with her family.

Those who knew Dorothy knew what an amazingly strong and selfless person she was.  She also had the best sense of humor…..and didn’t even realize how much she could make people laugh.

She is survived by her children, Debra Glover and husband William of Portland, ME, Robert C. Morse Jr. of Meriden, Chris Trombly and husband Gary of E. Granby and Mark Morse and wife Melissa of Watertown,three grandchildren, Ryan Trombly, Vanessa Morse and Sean Trombly.

She was predeceased by her brothers, Raymond, Donald, Douglas, and William Erbe and a sister Geraldine Sentell.

Dorothy’s family would like to extend a special thank you to all of her caregivers at The Jerome Home in New Britain for their kindness, love and support throughout the past ten years that she spent there.  They made her last years very special and we are convinced she lived as long as she did because of the wonderful environment they created for her.

Her funeral will be held on Monday, Sept. 12, 2016 at 10:15 a.m. from the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St., Southington to Mary Our Queen Church, 248 Savage St., Plantsville for a mass at 11 a.m. Burial will be at South End Cemetery. Calling hours will be Sunday from 3-5 p.m. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Hospital of Central CT, Dialysis Unit, 100 Grand St., New Britain, CT 06050.

For online condolences and directions please visit, www.dellavecchiafh.com

Ellen R. Carson, 94, of Cheshire, passed away peacefully at home on Sept. 11, 2016. She was the wife of the late Vaughn W. Carson for 48 years.

She is survived by three sons; David Carson of Southington, Robert Carson of Natick, MA and  Neil Carson of New Brunswick, Canada, nine grandchildren; Eric, Sean, Mark, Alex, Alicia, Jennifer, Nicholas, Colleen and Malcolm, and four great grandchildren; Olivia, Jameson, Ayanna and Luca.

Her fondest memories were family reunions in New Brunswick, Canada, where she also celebrated her 90th birthday at the Carson Homestead on the banks of the Saint John River.

Pursuant  to her wishes, a private graveside service was held at St. Thomas Cemetery. Donations may be made in her memory to The Epiphany Church, 1750 Huckins Road, Cheshire, CT 06410

For online condolences please visit www.dellavecchiafh.com

Merton Louis Taylor Jr. ., 69, died on Wednesday, Sept. 7  after a four-year battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Linda as well as his daughter Colleen Bockhahn, and son Kyle Taylor and his wife Christy.

A Connecticut native, Mert grew up in Plantsville, and spent the majority of his life there before retiring to Hampstead, NC. He served in the army as a radio communications officer, and post-service became the owner and operator of Taylor Grocery, a multi-generation family business that was a staple of the town for decades.  In his free time, Mert was an avid golfer, most recently playing often with close friend Bill Sheriden, and finally scoring his first hole-in-one at Bear Trail Golf Club in Jacksonville, NC.

Mert is further survived by his sister Patricia Conroy and brother-in-law David Conroy. Their children David Conroy Jr and wife Cindy; Kim Lane and her husband Michael; and their children Joshua, John-David, and Kiersten.

Mert was a loving husband and father; a hardworking man who never hesitated to sacrifice for his family, or make time for friends and loved ones alike. He will be greatly missed and often remembered.

In Lieu of flowers or cards, please consider donating to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. www.lustgarten.org/donate

Charles “Eddie” Silva, 75, of Southington, surrounded by family and friends, passed away on September 13, 2016, after an 18 year courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Born in Norfolk, VA, December 21, 1940, son of the late Joseph Charles Silva and Mildred Bernice Kamendulis Silva. Eddie grew up in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and graduated from Gloucester High School. He went on to graduate from the University of New Hampshire where played hockey, football, and lacrosse.

Ed Silva was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army after completing the ROTC program at UNH. He was deployed to South Vietnam, where he served as a helicopter pilot. Captain Silva received eighteen air medals, flew several hundred missions, and was shot down three times. He flew a number of notables during his tour including Ann-Margret and Vice President Humphrey. Ed also enjoyed a drink of vodka with Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.

Eddie settled in Southington, worked for Allstate Insurance for over 30 years and had 20 years of service in the CT National Guard. Eddie served as president of the Southington Rotary Club, served on the Board of the Southington YMCA and the Board of Directors of the Northern Little League. He was an active member of the girls and boys sports programs in Southington. Ed loved sports, especially playing golf, rooting on the Boston Red Sox and all Boston sports teams.

Eddie was a man who defined the meaning of perseverance, courage and love. He was a coach, mentor and friend to the very end. We learned to count our time together by the moments we shared and the laughs we had, which were many.

He was the proud father of four devoted children: Ed Silva Jr. and Nicole Fallon of Milford, Kevin Silva and wife Mary of Carlisle, PA, Melinda Silva and wife Denise of Southington, and Julie Wlodarczyk of Tolland. He has ten special grandchildren: Katie, Matthew, Brian, Megan, Kent, Lucas, Grace, Charlie, Max and Maya and several nieces and nephews. He is also survived by Bob and Elinor Gregory, lifelong friend Roger Lee and former son-in-law Matthew Wlodarczyk.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, September 17, 2016 at 10:15 am from the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 North Main Street, Southington to Saint Dominic’s Church, 1050 Flanders Road for a Mass at 11 am. Calling hours will be 4-7 pm on Friday, September 16, 2016. Burial will be at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Southington VFW, 68 Main St, Southington, CT or American Parkinson Disease Association, 27 Allendale Dr, North Haven, CT 06473.

For online condolences and directions visit www.dellavecchiafh.com

Dr. Francis “Frank” John Cioffi, 85, died after a long battle with Alzheimer’s on September 12, 2016 in the comfort of his home in Brookfield, surrounded by his family.

He was born on May 29, 1931 to the late John and Julia  Cioffi of Southington.  In 1957 he married his wife Mariann Capolupo of Boston, MA and together they raised 5 sons. Francis received his BS degree from Boston University, his MS degree from Tufts University, and his PhD in Physical Chemistry from Rutgers University in 1961.  Francis worked as a research scientist in pharmaceuticals throughout his career, which included MW Kellogg, Bristol Myers-Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Danbury Pharmacal. He holds various patents and earned the President’s award for his personal accomplishments at Squibb.

Francis proudly served in the US Air Force as a Lieutenant and was stationed in Japan from 1955 to 1957.  He later retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Captain. The Air Force is where he learned his love of flying;  he later earned his private pilot’s license and enjoying flying with his boys.  Francis was an accomplished boater and past Commander of Lake Candlewood Power Squadron, as well as Brookfield delegate to the Candlewood Lake Authority.  He loved music and played the piano and trumpet.

Francis is survived by his loving wife Mariann, and five sons, John (Michele), Michael (Anne), Francis Jr. (Lisa), Steven (Dawn), Mark and sister Madeline (Henry) Badgley.  He had 8 loving grandchildren, Marissa, Michaela, Nicolas, Michael, Jennifer, Grace, Steven, John Joseph and his sister Giovanna.  He was also much loved by several nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to express a special thank you to his son John, and his companion Michele, who lovingly cared for him during the last few months of his life.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1:00pm on Saturday, September 17, 2016 at St. Joseph Church,163 Whisconier Rd, Brookfield. The family will receive friends at the Brookfield Funeral Home, 786 Federal Rd, Brookfield. on Friday the 16th from 4:00-7:00.

Memorial donations may be made in Francis’s name to Regional Hospice of Western CT, 30 Milestone Rd, Danbury, CT 06810.

To light a candle of hope and remembrance please visit www.BrookfieldFuneralHome.com

Thomas Joseph Walasewicz, 75, of Southington, loving husband for 52 years to Kathleen (Kelly) Walasewicz went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016, surrounded by his loving family at Hartford Hospital.

Tom was born June 10, 1941 in New Britain, the son of the late Joseph and Lucy (Dawid) Walasewicz. He worked at Fafnir Bearing Textron for 26 years, leaving to join his friend Fred Indoe at Comet Mfg. in Newington. He went on to retire from the City of Meriden after 15 years of service.  Tom’s devotion and love to his family was always present.   His family was his life.

In addition to his wife he is survived by his children, Lori Walasewicz of Plainville, Thomas D. Walasewicz and Paul Walasewicz both of Southington, his loving grandchildren, Bryan, Joseph, Jacob, Megan and Lucy. He also leaves his mother-in-law Rose Kelly and sisters-in-law Francine O’Brien and husband Bob and Lorraine Williams and husband David.  He was predeceased by sister and husband Barbara and Robert Cooley.

The family would like to extend their gratitude to the staff on C91 at Hartford Hospital for their loving care and concern.

A Memorial Mass will be held on Monday, Sept. 19, 2016 at 10:30 am at Mary Our Queen Church. 248 Savage St. Plantsville.  Burial will be at the convenience of the family. Memorial calling hours will be on Sunday at the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St. from 3-6 pm.

For online condolences please visit www.dellavecchiafh.com

Alfred Neves, age 72, of Southington entered into rest on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at The Hospital of Central Connecticut with his loving family by his side.  He was born in Waterbury on January 31, 1944, son of the late John and Emmelinda (Souza) Neves.  A lifelong Connecticut resident, Al was a graduate of Crosby High School, Waterbury and the University of Hartford.

Al is survived by his loving wife Shirley (Lombardo-Rozyn) Neves and many wonderful friends and family.  His family includes his daughters Alexandria Neves Cirasuolo and Jennifer Neves; his son-in-law David Cirasuolo, grandchildren Ryan and Catherine Cirasuolo: and his brother in law James Lombardo.  His numerous nephews and nieces include: Gary Fontaine and his family, David Fontaine, Susan Fontaine, Nancy Stayton and her family, John Neves, Kevin Neves & Debby Neves Lockhart and her family, Mia Lombardo and Merissa Lombardo.  Al is the son of Joa (John) Neves and Emmelinda Souza de Neves of Waterbury.  He was pre-deceased by his older brothers Joseph, John and David Neves, as well as his sister Diane Fontaine.

Al was the founder of several successful businesses, including the Connecticut Business Times and later The Business Exchange, dedicated to the vitality of local business here in our state.  He was a student of history and a silent professor for those fortunate enough to listen.  For all who knew him, Al was always a source of laughter, a walking encyclopedia of jokes that even Google hasn’t written the algorithm to compete with.

Al was also a very kind, generous, and compassionate person, and later in life a devout Christian.  He was devoted to his church, and loved leading bible studies.   Al was an avid sports fan of UCONN as well as the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox.  As a proud grandparent, you would often see Al on the sidelines at one of his grandchildren’s sporting events.  He will be remembered forever fondly and will be missed dearly.

Visitation will be on Monday from 4 pm until 6:30 pm followed by a service at 6:30, at the DellaVecchia Funeral Home 211 N. Main St. in Southington. Burial will be at the convenience of the family.

The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff at The Hospital of Central Connecticut, especially those on the C5 floor.  The family asks that any donations be made to the CenterPoint Community Church, 840 Silas Deane Hwy, Wethersfield, CT 06109.

For directions and online condolences visit www.dellavecchiafh.com

Joan C. (Finland) Sheppard, 73 of Southington, passed away on Saturday, September 17, 2016 after a courageous battle with kidney cancer. She was the loving wife of Edward Sheppard.

Born December 21, 1942 in Meriden, she was the daughter of the late Edward and Margaret (Smiddy) Finland.

Joan was a graduate of Caledonian School of Nursing in Brooklyn, NY. She retired after 33 years at HCC at Bradley Memorial.

In addition to her husband she leaves her children, Christopher Sheppard of Southington, Kathleen Seibel and husband Matt of Woburn, MA; four grandchildren, Joe, Elizabeth and Emily DeSimone and Jack Seibel; a sister Katherine Dugan and husband Jim of Southington and a son-in-law, Christopher DeSimone. She was predeceased by her daughter, Dr. Kelly Ann Sheppard and a sister Judy Finland.

A mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2016 at 11 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Church, 130 Summer St., Plantsville. Memorial calling hours will be Friday from 5-7 p.m. at the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St., Southington. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. For online condolences and directions please visit, www.dellavecchiafh.com

Dr. Leszek Motowidlo, 65, of Southington ended his incredible battle with cancer on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at Masonicare in Wallingford. He was the husband of Diane (Dorsey) Motowidlo.

Born on February 5, 1951 in Chambon-Feugerolles, France, he was the son of Gracjan and Jeanine (Knapik) Motowidlo of New Britain. He and his family immigrated to the United States in 1955.

A much-honored physicist, Leszek began his prodigious journey in applied physics with studies at Central Connecticut State University. He then went on to the University of Connecticut and received his M.S. in Physics in 1976 and his Ph.D. in Metallurgy in 1981 under the supervision of Dr. James Galligan.

Thereafter, Leszek joined Varian Associates and served as Visiting Scientist at MIT. He returned to Connecticut in 1986 to work at Intermagnetics General Corporation as a manager and group leader. A proud Husky, Leszek received the distinguished Alumni Award from the UCONN School of Engineering in 1996 for his outstanding contributions to both the science and engineering applications of superconducting materials. His work was well-received nationally and globally; he had presented numerous invited papers at conferences on high-temperature and low-temperature superconductors around the world.

But Leszek’s most impressive accomplishments shone right here in Connecticut. Until his death, he was owner and president of SupraMagnetics, Inc. in Plantsville, a research and development company he started in 2004. Leszek was also a fierce competitor, swimming at CCSU during his collegiate days and participating in several triathlons and road races in his life. He also loved the outdoors and sharing a good glass of Cabernet Sauvignon with family and friends.

Leszek would attest, however, his proudest accomplishments were the relationships he built, his family and friends. In addition to his wife and parents, he leaves behind his children Adam Motowidlo of Hartford and Cara Motowidlo of New York City, a sister Danielle Motowidlo of Torrington, and a sister-in-law Susan Dorsey of Plantsville. He was predeceased by a brother-in-law John Dorsey, Jr.

He was also much beloved by his niece and nephew, Jocelyn (Morante) LaRocca and Daniel Morante, along with his brother-in-law Charles Morante. Finally, he leaves behind his treasured beagle and littlest love, Shyatsu.

His funeral will be held on Monday at 10:15 a.m. from the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St., Southington to Mary Our Queen Church, 248 Savage St., Plantsville. Burial will be at South End Cemetery. Calling hours will be Sunday from 4-7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or the ASPCA www.aspca.org/donate. For online condolences and directions, please visit www.dellavecchiafh.com.

Richard E. Marietta, 73 of Southington passed away on Saturday, September 17, 2016 at the HOCC New Britain Campus after losing his brave battle with kidney disease and lung cancer. Richard was born September 24, 1942 in New Britain and was the son of the late Frank and Marie (Bonola) Marietta.

He was the loving husband of Pauline (Klein) Marietta.  In addition to his wife, he leaves his 3 children, Monica Marietta of Southington, Michael Marietta (Jennifer) of Wallingford, and Meredith Eisenberg (C.Todd) of Colchester; four grandchildren, Ayreanna, Cody, Jacoby and Jayson; a sister Maureen Hermann (Thomas) and a niece, Kelly of Jacksonville, FL.

Calling hours will be on Sunday, 9/25/16 from 2-5 p.m. at DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St, Southington. On Monday, 9/26/16, a Funeral Procession will leave from the DellaVecchia Funeral Home at 9:15 a.m. to the Immaculate Conception Church, 130 Summer St., Plantsville where a Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in New Britain.

In lieu of sending flowers, the Marietta’s have established “The Richard Marietta Memorial Fund” to provide financial assistance to a graduating member of the Southington High School Class of 2017.

To donate, visit www.youcaring.com and search for Marietta

Christine (Dobrowolski) Kolej-Sexton, 75, of Plantsville, died on Friday, Sept. 9 at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford. She was the wife of Gary Sexton.

She was born in New Britain on Dec. 14, 1940 to the late Francis and Geneveive (Lukowski) Dobrowolski.

In addition to her husband, Gary, she is survived by daughters, Mellisa Allen of Odenton, Md., and Jennifer Fazzino of Southington; grandchildren, Kyle and Kathryn Allen and Joshua and Megan Fazzino; sisters, Doreen Zidnek of Middletown, Marilyn Elwell of Portland, and Glowa Meickle of New2ington; and her brother, Alan Dobrowolski of East Hampton.

She loved animals of all kinds, especially dogs and cats, which she had as companions throughout her life. She was a kind, loving, trustworthy, intelligent woman with a great sense of humor. She will be dearly missed.

A memorial gathering for family and friends will be held at the Brittany Farms Community Center in New Britain, on Sunday, Oct. 2, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Chester Peter “Chuck” Albrycht Sr., 83, passed away on September 11, 2016. A funeral mass was held on Saturday, September 17, 2016 at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church. Burial will follow at Cedar Ridge Cemetery in Gray, GA.

Chuck was a member of St. Peter Claver Catholic Church and loved volunteering as a tutor at Gray Elementary School. He was retired from the Social Security Administration and served his country in the United States Air Force. He was the son of Polish immigrants, Frank and Nellie Albrycht.

Chuck is survived by his sons, Chet Albrycht of Gray, Sam Albrycht of Gordon, and John Albrycht (Sandy) of Gray; daughter, Jean Phillips (Shannon) of Gray, GA; son Jeffrey Albrycht (Jenna) of Sweetwater, TN; fourteen grandchildren; three great grandchildren; brother, Cas Albrycht (Mary) of Biloxi, MS, brother, Felix Albrycht (Josephine) of Southington, CT; sister, Teresa Porydzy of Plantsville, CT; and many nieces and nephews.

Family may be contacted at 304 North Cross Road, Gray, GA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Peter Claver Mt. DeSales Scholarship Fund, 131 Ward Street, Macon, GA 31204.

Hart’s Mortuary, Jones County Chapel has charge of arrangements.

www.hartsmort.com.