Victor L. "Vic" BACCARO

BACCARO, Victor "Vic" L.


Victor "Vic" L. Baccaro, 91, of Berlin, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, (October 19, 2013). He was predeceased by his loving wife of 42 years, Veronica "Val" (Gwiazda) Baccaro. Born in Kensington, Vic was the son of the late Joseph and Rita (Daversa) Baccaro. He has been a life-long resident of Berlin, attending local schools and graduating from Berlin High School, Class of 1940. Vic was an outstanding athlete while at Berlin High School in both football and track. Captain of both teams, he also set a CT State record for the 100 yard dash and his 880 relay team won the State Championship. Vic was a proud U.S. Army Air Corps Veteran of World War II, having served with the 390th Bomb Group as a Tech/SGT flight engineer and Top Turret Gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress. His B-17 was shot down over Germany on his 25th mission and he became a Prisoner of War for the next 13 months. For his actions during the war, Vic was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the POW Medal, the European Campaign Medal, and the Victory Medal. Vic worked for the Fafnir Bearing Co., retiring after 42 years of service. He was an avid sports fan and took great joy in watching his sons and grandchildren participate in school and local sports. Vic was a founding member of the Berlin High School Athletic Boosters Association, the St. Paul's Knights of Columbus, and the Berlin VFW. He was selected as the first inductee into the Berlin High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010. Vic has been a life-long parishioner of St. Paul Church in Kensington and was an avid Yankees fan. Surviving are his three sons and daughters-in-law, Richard and Sharon Baccaro, John and Nancy Baccaro, William and Lynn Baccaro, all of Berlin. "Papa" Vic is also survived by his six grandchildren, Jennifer, Katie, Carolyn, Daniel, Michael and Nicole; two special cousins, Victor J. Baccaro and his wife Rita of Southington and Angelo Sabatelli of Long Island, NY; two sisters-in-law and several nieces and nephews. Victor was also predeceased by two brothers, Peter and Steven Baccaro, and a sister Antoinette "Toni" Baccaro.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at Erickson-Hansen Funeral Home, 411 So. Main St., New Britain, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30 a.m. at St. Paul Church, Kensington. Burial, with military honors, will be in Maple Cemetery, Berlin. Calling hours will be Wednesday evening from 5-8 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Berlin High School Athletic Boosters Association, PO Box 7273, Kensington, CT 06037. Please share a memory of Victor with the family in the on line guest book at www.ericksonhansen.com.