Calixto Fonseca Obituary

Calixto Fonseca, 97 of Westerly, passed away peacefully surrounded by the love of his family on Saturday, April 14, 2018. He was the loving husband of Carmen (Rivera) Fonseca and together they shared 66 years of marriage until her death in 2014. Born in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico on October 8, 1920, he was one of 16 children of the late Lorenzo and Alejandrina (Ayala) Fonseca.
Calixto served his country proudly in the U.S. Army during WWII. Following the service he came to New York City in 1946 and began working at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan. During his 36 years there, he earned his way through the positions at the hotel and upon retirement in 1982, he was the Chef Steward responsible for a staff of over 30 people. Calixto was responsible for overseeing large events and banquets and had even hosted a Women Right's event for Eleanor Roosevelt and also got to meet her. He truly showed that hard work and dedication could lead to an amazing career. But above all, family was first and foremost. He was a simple man who only needed the roof over his head, the meal made by his dear wife and his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren around him to be happy. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
He leaves his children Calixto Fonseca, Jr. and his wife Gail of Tucson, AZ and Eleanor Davis Murphy and her husband Michael Murphy of Westerly; his grandchildren Mark Davis and his wife Crystal of Hopkinton, Michael Davis and his fiancée Sarah Ordway of Pawcatuck, CT, Anthony Davis of Ledyard, CT, Katie Fonseca of Phoenix, AZ and Aaron Fonseca and his wife Pauline of Phoenix, AZ ; his great-grandchildren Eziah Davis, Maxwell Davis, Carmen Davis, Xavier Davis, Alex Fonseca and Bailey Fonseca; along with hundreds of nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his 15 siblings.
Calling hours will be held (Today) Tuesday, April 17, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00p.m. at the Buckler-Johnston Funeral Home, 121 Main Street, Westerly, RI. A Funeral Mass will be held at the St. Pius X Church in Westerly, RI at 10:00am on Wednesday, April 18, 2018. Family and friends are invited to meet at the funeral home at 9:00a.m. the morning of the funeral to go in procession to the church. Burial will immediately follow the mass at the RI Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter.
For online condolences, please visit www.buckler-johnston.com.

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Published by The Westerly Sun from Apr. 17 to May 16, 2018.

Memories and Condolences
for Calixto Fonseca

4 Entries

(-=< Ray n' Mindy Hamilton >=-)

April 25, 2018

Dear Ely and the entire Fonseca Family,

I'm a friend of Ely's from work where all informed share your sorrow with sympathies; having lost both parents myself, know, all too well, this very special loss! Understanding the hole left behind, regardless the inevitability or forewarning, pray this helps some wee bitto allowenablethe grief! And this grief will come...and linger; indulge it because it is necessary...it is how God built us...it reflects the measure of whom you've lost...and that sounds like much!

So truly sorry to hear about your dad, grandfather, friend. At least now he's at peace with our Lord...definitely keepin' y'all in my prayers!

When my mother died, even after a years-long battle with cancer, I was shattered by the loss...inconsolable...she was my mentor! I like to think that I got my character from my father, but my mind and its capacity from m'dear sainted mother!!! BUT, "If your faith assures you she's in heaven, then what are the tears all about?!?" I hold eternity dearly close...a cherished, hard-won prize...but, in the interim, that answer lies below.

SELFISH TEARS
(I Eulogize My Beloved Mother - March, 1989)

Today we cry...must admit they're selfish tears.
You see...our faith assures your journey's done.
But it's not for you we mourn, at all, my dear;
It's for those of us you've left behind...alone!!!

We share your joy...share your happiness at rest,
Your painful fears now for forever stilled.
You've fought the good fight, passed the final test,
But you've left behind a hole that can't be filled!!!

So, until we each rejoin you some someday,
And, while your memory buoys us through those years,
We'll miss you...but continue on our way,
And, from time to time, we'll cry our selfish tears!!!

Ray Hamilton - March 19, 1989

Our sincerest condolences and prayers,

Susan

April 19, 2018

Mark & Crystal - so sorry for your loss. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers at this sad time.

Lois Rogers Smith

April 17, 2018

"Papi" Calixto Fonseca, Sr. was such a neat man! I only got to know him about 15 years ago. I did meet him and his wife Carmen in NYC about 40 years ago briefly.

I so enjoyed visiting and speaking with him on the phone. It was neat that we worked at communicating in the other's language. He had such a sense of humor!

I got to visit him at Ely's home where he was raking leaves; at the age of 83 I think! He went about his task at hand with great vigor and pride in what he could accomplish!

He shared stories about his jobs in New York with great pride. One of the gems on his crown was working Eleanor Roosevelt's birthday. He gave such detail I felt I was in attendance.

For me, he was such a neat man that I was blessed to have gotten to know; even if only for a while!

I pray God's comforting arms cover you all, his family and friends, as a blanket of the love that Mr Fonseca displayed to those around him. I look forward to seeing him again one day in Heaven.

As he nick named me,
All my love,
Miss Lola
Lois Rogers Smith
(Cleveland, Ohio)