Mario SOTTILE Jr.

SOTTILE, Mario Jr.


Mario Sottile, Jr. passed away peacefully early Wednesday, (July 13, 2011) in the presence of family at McLean Hospice in Simsbury. He was 77. Mario is survived by his beloved wife of 51 years, Janet R. (Cannistraro) Sottile; son, Gregory Mark Sottile and his wife Melissa Carver Sottile, son, Michael Stephen Sottile; grandsons, Ethan Mario Sottile and John "Jack" Townsend Sottile; brother, George Sottile, sisters, Josephine McBrien, Ann Sopel and Rita Pasquaretta, many cousins and adoring nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by a brother, Frank Sottile; a sister, Camille "Cammie" Russo, and his parents, Mario Sr. and Lucy (Novello) Sottile. A Hartford-area resident almost exclusively, Mario established lasting friendships throughout his rich and varied life. His early professional career was spent as an insurance agent with Sun Life of Canada. He subsequently worked 27 years as a highly regarded teacher in the Hartford public school system at Moylan Elementary School, Lewis Fox Middle School and Michael D. Fox Elementary School. Next to family and friends, basketball enraptured him. He loved it and excelled at it. As a kid in Hartford's North End, he'd deliver the afternoon Hartford Times to third-story customers with a catapulting sweep of the left arm, the hook shot he later perfected at a vacant lot next to the family home and on courts throughout the area. By the time he reached Weaver High (class of 1952), Mario was a basketball sensation. A scrappy southpaw point guard, he co-captained the basketball team and earned a four-year athletic scholarship to play at Boston University. Hailed for his hustle, unselfish play and defensive tenacity, Mario co-captained the strong BU squad as well and, with an underhand style, ranked among the nation's top-ten free-throw shooters. After graduating college in 1956 with a degree in physical education, Mario returned to Connecticut where he met Janet, the love of his life. They married in 1960, and settled and raised their children in West Hartford.
Having honeymooned on Cape Cod, the Sottiles couldn't ignore its allure. Mario, Janet and their sons made the Cape an integral part of family life, and together they spent many wonderful vacations there, often with extended family and good friends sharing in these special times. Willingly and without complaint, Mario juggled part-time jobs in the hope of owning a place there someday. In one such position, acquired late in the 1960s, he served as basketball coach at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield. In short order, the squad became a holy powerhouse, going 17-3 and winning a junior-college title, a first for the college. He directed the St. Thomas team for three years, and then acquired the position of coaching the University of Connecticut (UCONN) - Hartford team. Mario's devoted work ethic paid off: He and Janet bought a parcel of land in the Cape Cod town of Brewster and built a lovely home there in 1982. He fortified the property with typical resourcefulness, using stone and antique brick from torn-down buildings in Hartford. After retiring in 1994, Mario found new ways to apply himself and to endow loved ones. Absent formal training, he began restoring old furniture with striking results. Trunks and chests, his eventual specialties, often were lavished upon dazzled and unsuspecting guests in West Hartford or Brewster, Mario delighting in delighting others. Those expressions were wrought in other compassionate ways. In 1999, following multiple-bypass surgery, Mario volunteered in St. Francis Hospital's Mended Hearts program, for which he long counseled and reassured patients facing heart surgery. He, along with Janet, became members of Prince Thomas of Savoy, an Italian club where they garnished many lasting friendships while enjoying a meal, playing a few games of bocci or a hand or two at cards. A quiet optimist and a true lover of life, Mario saw the good in humankind and the world around him. On the Cape, especially, he'd leave the house at daybreak for a leisurely drive to wherever whim might take him, or head to the bay to clam. His great appetite for life included most any crustacean - shucked, steamed, stuffed, fried or served over plate of steaming linguini. His innate joy often emerged as a masterful whistle: Mario could render a standard, a ditty, a bobwhite's call with accomplished clarity and precision, the sweet tones nourishing the open air. Like his family, neighbors loved to hear his whistle. His happiness always came through in this way, and what a joy it was to hear this wonderful gift -- his magical tune. For all his benevolence, Mario never shed the competitive zeal that had etched his basketball days. He was a crack shot in horseshoes and a tough customer at the monthly poker game he and many of his long-time Hartford friends played for decades. He heartily supported the University of Connecticut men's and women's basketball teams, its football program and numerous other programs. Mario was a devoted family man. He treasured holiday gatherings, summer picnics, weddings, reunions and visits with family and friends. He adored his sons Gregory and Michael, and was proud of all their accomplishments and was always incredibly supportive during the challenging times. There was never any doubt that he always stood behind his family and dear friends. He could be counted on - time and again. His grandsons - Ethan and Jack Sottile - brought an extra special joy to his heart. "Papa" was loved by these boys who saw in their grandfather a warm, devoted and fun man. Never short on hugs and kisses, and always generous, Mario often surprised his grandchildren with treats and toys aplenty. Above all, Mario loved Janet more than anything. Over the course of a wonderful and inspiring marriage, this team of Hartford natives loved as one, and cared about many. Devoted to each other through good times and bad, they were a shining example of how to love and how to love well. The family wishes to express its gratitude to Dr. Santo Buccheri and Dr. John Galle, to the doctors and staff of the Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center, and to McLean Home Care and Hospice.
Family and friends may call Sunday, July 17, 4-7 p.m., at Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center, 301 Country Club Rd., Avon. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, July 18, 10 a.m., at Church of St. Ann, Avon. Burial will follow in Mount St. Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Doc Hurley Scholarship Foundation, Inc., 103 Woodland St., Hartford, CT 06105-1233. For online condolences, please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com.