Dexter A. Picozzi

Dexter A. Picozzi

Surrounded by his loving family, Dexter A. Picozzi of Redding passed away peacefully on March 8, 2014 at the age of 93. Born in Providence, RI on July 9, 1920 to Anthony and Antonetta Conte Picozzi, he went on to graduate Summa Cum Laude from the University of Rhode Island in 1942. First in his class of 219 Engineering students, Dexter was accepted to MIT Graduate School but World War II intervened.
He enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and served as an Aviation Electronics Technician. During his military tenure he met his beloved wife, Dorothy, at a USO dance. Married in 1948 they spent their years in suburban Boston and Fairfield County raising a family until she passed away in 1992. Dexter also had one brother, Raymond, an author and Department Chair in the Theatre program at Rhode Island College, who died in 2011.
Dexter spent his entire career in the Engineering industry working first in Minutemen Missile technology but then switching to commercial and defense aircraft manufacturing. Most of his professional life was spent working for the Avco Lycoming/Textron Corporation where he held several upper level executive positions until retirement in 1991.
He is survived by three children Alan of Wilton, CT and his wife Barbara, Susan Sullivan of Redding, CT and her husband, Brian and John of Stratford, CT along with five grandchildren Maria and Steven Picozzi plus Sean, Katie and Keri Sullivan.
He was, perhaps, most proud of his efforts as an advocate for the progressive care of Autistic and other cognitively disabled residents in Connecticut. He served as VP/Treasurer of FORCONN and President of the parent's group of the Grasso Regional center. In both of these positions, he spent considerable time lobbying state legislators on behalf of these developmentally challenged citizens.
Participating in church activities was also an important part of his life. At St. Francis Assisi in Weston, he filled the roles of lector and Treasurer of the parish Round Table and enjoyed his bible study classes. In 2001 he was given the honor of the Spirit of St. Francis Award.
In his leisure time, he loved talking politics, watching movies and keeping close tabs on Notre Dame Football and the New York Yankees. And, he was renowned in the family for his Holiday cooking contributions, particularly the mashed potatoes and chocolate cake.
A mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday at 10 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Weston. Internment will follow at St. John's Cemetery in Norwalk. Prior to that, friends are invited to pay their respects at the Bouton Funeral home in Georgetown from 4 - 8PM on Thursday.
In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome to St. Vincent's Special Needs Services at 95 Merritt Boulevard in Trumbull CT 06611 (stvinceentsspecialneeds.org - click on lower left corner).