Vito J. DeVito

1925 - 2020

DeVito, Vito J.
Vito Joseph DeVito, 94, passed away on Saturday, April 25, 2020 in a Bristol nursing home after a brief illness. Vito was born on December 17, 1925 in Stamford, CT, to the late Nicholas and Mary (Nardozza) DeVito. He moved to New Haven upon getting married to Mary Palmieri in 1954, and then to Orange in 1962, where he and Mary resided for the remainder of their lives. Vito was a legendary schoolboy star in baseball and basketball at Stamford High School, where he established baseball records that stood for decades, and where he played alongside his childhood friend and future New York Giants football star and Hall of Famer Andy Robustelli. Vito was signed to a professional contract by the New York Yankees out of high school in 1943, but like most young men his age at that time, service to his country took priority. After spending his rookie season with Binghamton of the Eastern League, he enlisted in the Army, where he proceeded to earn the Purple Heart fighting in the 3rd Army in Europe under General George S. Patton in World War II. Returning stateside after the war, Vito resumed his baseball career with the Yankees minor league affiliate in Amsterdam, NY, and although he was performing well (including once getting four hits off Yankee legend Whitey Ford in a spring training game), he was released in the Spring of 1947 in a cost-cutting move. He then joined the independent Stamford Pioneers for one year and played against some of the best barnstorming talent of his day, including Satchel Paige, Minnie Minoso, and Larry Doby. He went on to play for the Indians and Cubs organizations as well, climbing as high as Triple-A for Cleveland's San Diego Padres affiliate in the Pacific Coast League in 1948, the year of the last Indians World Series championship. However, the post-war baseball talent glut was just too much to overcome, and after a few more stops on the minor league circuit, Vito decided to end his pursuit of major league glory and leave professional baseball for good in 1952, although he did continue to play semi-pro ball for the West Haven Sailors for four years. Always keenly aware of the whimsical nature of pro ball, Vito continued his education by taking college courses in the off-seasons, eventually earning a Bachelor's degree from Arnold College in Milford, CT (while also coaching baseball at the school) and a Master's degree from New York University. Years later, he also received his 6th Year Certificate in Educational Administration from the University of Bridgeport. Vito served as an assistant basketball and baseball coach at Arnold College until the school closed in 1953, whereupon he took a job teaching in the West Haven school system. In 1957 he moved to the Milford system, where he would remain for the next 29 years. After a four-year stint at Milford High, Vito coached football and baseball and taught physical education at Jonathan Law High before moving on to the newly opened Joseph Foran High in 1973 to become Athletic Director and baseball coach, where he remained until his retirement in 1986. The athletic complex at Foran High is named in his honor. In addition to his full-time duties in the Milford school system and raising five children with Mary, Vito somehow found the time to coach part-time at Yale University for almost four decades. He was an assistant basketball coach under longtime friend Joe Vancisin from 1956 to 1973, where their 1969-70 squad shocked the legendary "Pistol" Pete Maravich and LSU in the finals of the Rainbow Classic tournament. Vito then moved over to football, where he served as an assistant freshman and varsity coach under good friend Carm Cozza from 1973 until 1992. Along the way, Vito touched the lives of many future professional athletes, including Calvin Hill, Dick Jauron, Gary Fencik, John Spagnola, Kenny Hill and Rich Diana, and his 36-year stint at Yale is believed to be the longest tenure of any coach in the University's storied history. In his retirement, Vito served as a Commissioner of the West Haven Twilight Baseball League for almost two decades while also driving a bus for local school systems. He was also a longtime member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Vito and Mary were both devoted parishioners of the Church of the Holy Infant in Orange. Vito received many honors and awards along the way, including the West Haven Twilight League Gold Bat Award, the Connecticut High School Coaches Association's Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction into the Greater New Haven Diamond and Tap-Off Club Hall of Fame. But personal accolades were never important to Vito, as he instead valued and took pride in being a positive influence on the lives of generations of young people. Vito was predeceased by his beloved wife Mary in 2014 and his beautiful granddaughter Nicole in 2015. Vito is survived by his five children: David and his wife Betsy (Dommer) DeVito of Wallingford, Nancy DeVito of Bethany, Michael and his wife Kathy (Park) DeVito of Orange, Robert and his fiancée Lisa Nolt of Hebron, and Susan (DeVito) Justice and her wife Noreen (Hartney) Justice of Burlington. He also leaves behind nine beloved grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
A private Military Service was held on April 30, 2020 in Orange Center Cemetery. Calling hours will be held at a future date to be determined. Arrangements have been entrusted to the PORTO FUNERAL HOME, 830 Jones Hill Rd., West Haven. Sign Vito's guest book online at
www.portofuneralhomes.net