Vincent Botarelli

BOTARELLI, LT. COL. VINCENT Vincent Botarelli, 101 of North Haven, CT passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 27, 2013 at the Montowese Rehabilitation Facility in North Haven. Vincent was born in North Haven, CT on November 19, 1911 and was the son of the late Luigi Botarelli and Pia Brutti Botarelli. He was predeceased by a brother Mario and a sister Pia. He was predeceased by his loving wife, Marion Fitch Botarelli in 2006. They were married for 68 years. Vincent was raised in North Haven and Hamden and was a caddie master at Meadowbrook Golf Course in his teens. He was a graduate of Commercial High School Class of 1928. Upon graduating he was offered a full scholarship to Yale, but had to go to work to help support his family. This did not diminish his drive and success, and he was employed in several sales enterprises from 1928 to 1940. In his early twenties he started Al's Checker Store in Hamden, a full service grocery store with four delivery vehicles. (Vincent's nickname was Al which is short for Elio.) This venture ended when Vincent was called to military service in 1932 and his wife Marion was instructed to close the store. He enlisted in the 1st Battalion of the 102nd Infantry at the Goffe St. Armory in 1932 an entered active military service for pre-war training February 24, 1941 as Commanding Officer of Battalion Headquarters Company at Camp Blanding, Florida. He participated in military maneuvers in Louisiana and South Carolina during the summer and fall of 1941. He departed for service overseas from Charleston, SC in 1942 as Regimental Adjutant of the Bobcat Task Force to the South Pacific Area and stationed successively in the Society Island, and the islands of Efate and Espiritu Santo. Vincent was promoted through the officer grades from 1st Lieutenant to Lt. Colonel in command of the 2nd Bn. Of the 102nd Infantry and in 1944 he was detached from the regiment and ordered to the Army War College at Ft. Leavenworth after having participated in the invasion of the island of Bougainville in the northern Solomon Islands. He was re-ordered overseas January 5, 1945 and assigned to Tenth Army Logistical Command as Asst. G-3 for Ground Forces. Vincent participated in the planning and invasion of Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands from April 1st to the surrender and VJ-Day. Upon return from WW-II he was employed as a field representative with the CT State Veterans Commission promoting jobs, apprenticeships, hospitalization, educational opportunities and rehabilitation for returning veterans and assistance with pension rights for veterans' widows and for the disabled. In 1950, he and his wife Marion, a registered nurse, established the Montowese Convalescent Hospital in North Haven where he was its Administrator for thirty-two years retiring in 1982. During those years he was an active member and participant in the American College of Health Care Administrators and, in recognition of his distinguished service was awarded the status of Fellow Emeritus. He was also an organizer and active participant in the CT Assn. of Health Care Facilities and during the ten-year period of the induction of the Medicare Program from 1970 to 1979, he served as its Vice-president. In his earlier years he was active in the church affairs of St. Therese R.C. Church, as a commentator for ten years, co-chairman of the Building Committee, chairman of the Parish Council, President of the Holy Name Society, Director and Statistician of the Parish Bowling League and for eight years chairman of the Parish Carnival and Auto Raffle. Vincent is survived by his sons, Vincent Botarelli, Jr. of Colorado and Peter Botarelli of Guilford, CT; nine grandchildren: David (Sandie) Botarelli, Heather (Paul) McGarry, Mark Botarelli, Susan Botarelli and Lisa Botarelli, all of Colorado; Christine (Christopher) Voytek, Peter Botarelli, Charles (Meghan) Botarelli, all of CT and Steven (Tara) Botarelli of New Jersey; nine great grandchildren and a host of extended loving family and dear friends. Family and friends are invited to go directly to St. Therese Church, 555 Middletown Avenue, North Haven, CT at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 1, 2013 to attend a Mass of Christian Burial and are also invited to attend the committal services immediately following with full military honors in All Saints Cemetery. The visiting hours will be Thursday, January 31, 2013 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the North Haven Funeral Home, 36 Washington Avenue, North Haven, CT. www.northhavenfuneral.com