ANGELO TOMASSO Jr.

1925 - 2015

TOMASSO, ANGELO, JR. Angelo Tomasso, Jr., lifelong resident of New Britain, Connecticut, and World War II veteran, passed away on September 18, 2015, surrounded by his family. Born in New Britain on St. Patrick’s Day 1925, Angelo was the proud son of Italian immigrants -the late Angelo and Nazzarena (Briganti) Tomasso. Angelo attended St. Thomas Seminary and graduated from New Britain Senior High School in 1943. He joined the U.S. Navy and served as a petty officer in communications in the Amphibious Corps. During World War II, he was stationed in the South Pacific, the China Sea and the Philippines, proudly serving his country on USS LST 925. Angelo was awarded the Military Order of the Purple Heart for injuries received during the liberation of the Philippine Islands in the Battle of Luzon. After honorable discharge, he attended Naval Officers Training School at Auburn University in Alabama, earning a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering. Angelo remained a strong supporter of Auburn throughout his life (WAR EAGLE!), and it was there that he met the love of his life, Joy. Angelo and Joy were married in June of 1952, and soon returned to New Britain where they started their family. Upon his return to New Britain, Angelo began a long and distinguished career in the construction industry. He worked as general superintendent of Angelo Tomasso, Inc. After the passing of his father, he became president and Chief Executive Officer of the company until it merged in 1971 with Ashland Construction Co. Angelo subsequently became vice president of Ashland until 1979 when Tilcon, Inc. purchased the company. He later became Tilcon’s president and CEO until 1990 when he assumed the chairmanship. During his career and also well into retirement, Angelo served on numerous committees and boards, generously giving his time and talents for the betterment of his beloved community. He was a director of the Connecticut Bank Federation, the New Britain Bank and Trust Company and the Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation. Angelo was also a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 511, the Generale Ameglio M.B. Society, the Elks Lodge #957, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Disabled American Veterans, and the NAACP. He was a trustee of St. Ann Church, chairman of the National Conference of Christians and Jews and the Founder, director and past President of The Hundred Club of Connecticut. He served as a board member of the New Britain Boys & Girls Club, and was a 50-year board member of New Britain General Hospital (currently THOCC), where he served as Chairman for many years. In recognition of his civic accomplishments, Central Connecticut State University conferred an honorary doctorate of humane letters on Angelo in 1990. Throughout the years, Angelo received numerous civic awards, including the National Jewish Hospital and Research Center Humanitarianism Award in 1978, New Britain Lodge of Elks Citizen of the Year in 1986, the Golden Lion Award from the Order of the Sons of Italy in 1988. In 1996 the Connecticut Association of Street & Highway Officials honored Angelo with the Royal W. Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award. Angelo was a loving, honest, generous and loyal man who relished life, and will be dearly missed every day. In his younger years, Angelo loved to fly and was an instrument-rated pilot. He treated everyone the same, regardless of their station in life. He is survived by his devoted wife Joy, and they were blessed with six children: Michael Tomasso and his wife Linda, Nancy Tomasso, Paul Tomasso, James Tomasso, William Tomasso and his partner Mary Anne, and Carol Tomasso Ficks and her husband Carl Ficks, Jr. Angelo’s family, especially his eight grandchildren Joseph, David, Albert, Amy Love, Edward, Lucy, Leia and Sarah Joy, were truly the light of his life, with whom he loved to travel and spend time; he is also survived by his sister, Lucia Tomasso Scheer and her husband Dr. Edward H. Scheer, sisters-in-law Jean Palmer, Jane Miller, Sandra Shaw Tomasso and Vicky Tomasso, nephews Edward H. Scheer, Jr. and his wife Antonia, Victor P. Tomasso, and beloved Abate and Briganti cousins. Angelo also leaves his cousins, the Di Pierdomenico families in Abbateggio, Italy. His brothers Victor, George and William predeceased him. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at 10:00am at St. Ann Church, 101 North Street, New Britain. Family and friends are invited to go directly to church. Visitation hours will be Tuesday, September 22, 2015 from 3:00-7:00pm at New Britain Memorial Donald D. Sagarino Funeral Home, 444 Farmington Ave., New Britain. A private burial will be at the convenience of the family. Donations in Angelo’s memory may be made to the New Britain Boys and Girls Club (www.bgclubnb.org). For directions or online messages, please visit www.newbritainsagarino.com