Andrew DeLieto

Andrew DeLieto
Andrew DeLieto, 58, of Shelton, Connecticut passed away peacefully at Hewitt Health Center in Shelton, on January 29, with his loving and devoted sister Carla by his side. Andy was born in New Haven and grew up in Hamden, graduating from Hamden high school in 1981. In his very early teens Andy was extremely energetic and outgoing and became interested in playing organized sports, playing on a Pop Warner football team, quickly excelling, and becoming the youngest player on the team to make the All Stars. At around the same time, Andy became a member of the Hamden Fish and game club, participating in competitive skeet and trap shooting and many other outdoor activities that he loved so much that were available at the club. At the age of 12, Andy was diagnosed with Friedrichs Ataxia, a degenerative neuromuscular disease in the Muscular Dystrophy family, a diagnosis which would change his life forever. This disease would take a toll on Andy's physical body, but he refused to let it affect his positive attitude and his enthusiasm for life and concern for others. When his physical deterioration became so extreme and he knew that it would continue to get worse, not once did he ever complain. He continued to have a smile for everyone and a positive outlook on life. He was truly inspirational. While living in Stratford, Andy continued to push past his physical limitations as long as he could, joining a model airplane club and with help, building and flying remote control airplanes, doing this until the progression of his disease prevented him from continuing to do so. An avid Yankees and New York Jets fan, Andy loved to watch his teams play, especially enjoying the Yankees Red /Sox rivalry. Not a day would go by where Andy would not find a way to communicate his love and concern for his family, even when trying to speak a single word will take an extreme effort. He would always ask how his nephews, or his great nieces were, or how his sister or sister-in-law were. Always thinking of others. Andy's mother was his caregiver for so many years, and his surviving the ravages of his disease long past the age that his doctors predicted is directly related to the inspiration, love and care she provided. When her health suffered and she began to fail, the roles reversed, and even though Andy could not physically take care of her, he made sure in his own way, that others did. They were in inseparable team. Andy is the son of the late Salvatore and Gloria (Auditore) DeLieto. He is survived by his sister Carla DeLieto and her husband John Lemberger, of Tampa Florida, his brother Mark, and his wife Catherine (Logan) DeLieto of Shelton, their children, Maegan (Marcone) Hopkins, and her husband Darrell, of Shelton, and their children, Olivia and Gianna, Nicholas, and his wife Allison (Miklus) DeLieto, of Hamden, and Anthony DeLieto of Shelton. If you ever have a desire to celebrate Andy, being the supreme movie critic that he was, you would be putting a smile on his face if he knew that you would spend a couple of hours watching the original 1951 black-and-white movie, The Thing from Another World, a movie he watched every Saturday night for over 40 years. Friends and family may visit on Thursday, February 3rd from 10-11 a.m. in the Adzima Funeral Home, 50 Paradise Green Place, Stratford. Masks are required. A graveside prayer service will follow in St. Lawrence Cemetery, 280 Derby Avenue West Haven at 11:45 a.m. For more information or to make an online condolence, please visit www.adzimafuneralhome.com