Edward P. DeVivo

DeVIVO , Edward P.

Edward P. DeVivo, 76, of Edgewood Road, Kensington and Hillcrest Road, Old Lyme, beloved husband of Patricia Ritchie DeVivo, died peacefully Saturday (November 29, 2003) at Connecticut Hospice in Branford surrounded by his family following a courageous battle with brain cancer. A native of Berlin, the son of the late Louis A. and the late Anne (Caccavale) DeVivo, he was a 1944 graduate of Berlin High School. The founder of Dattco, Inc., he began his career with the purchase of one school bus in 1944 and built his company over the years until his retirement in February of 2003. Dattco is ranked as one of the twenty-five largest bus companies in the United States. Edward was past president of the Berlin Lions Club, Board of Directors of the American Bus Association, past president of the New England Bus Association, retired assistant chief of the South Kensington Fire Department, corporator of the Klingberg Family Center, vice president of the South Burying Ground Cemetery Association, and a member of St. Paul's Church. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his four children and their families, Thomas and Sandra DeVivo of Kensington and their children, Michelle and Andy; Deborah DeVivo of Southington and her daughter Sarah; Laurie and Edward Behmke of Bristol and their children Daniel, David and Steven; and Anne and Alex DeMesa of Roselle Park, New Jersey and their children Isabella and Trent; his brothers, Alphonse DeVivo and Louis DeVivo both of Kensington; and several nieces and nephews. Edward will be remembered as a loving husband, father, and grandfather who always put his family ahead of all else. He was always happiest when he was working outside on his bulldozer, backhoe, and tractor, or playing a round of golf at Timberlin or on various courses while on vacations. He also treasured the time spent with family and friends at Point O'Woods in Old Lyme. Friends and relatives are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at St. Paul's Church in Kensington. Burial will be in Stockings Brook Cemetery in Kensington. His family will receive friends on Tuesday at Porter's Funeral Home, 111 Chamberlain Highway in Kensington from 4-8 p.m. Lions Club members will meet at the funeral home for a service at 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, his family requests that donations in memory of Edward be made to Connecticut Hospice, Inc., 100 Double Beach Road, Branford, CT 06045. Directions to the funeral home can be found at www.portersfuneral.com.