Stella Sartori (Rapsis)

Stella H. (Rapsis) Sartori, 85, of East Hartford, loving wife for 56 years to the late Charles R. Sartori, passed away on Friday, (April 1, 2011) at Manchester Memorial Hospital after a period of declining health. Born in Kaunus, Lithuania on January 6, 1926, a daughter of the late Anthony and Ursula (Jasut) Rapsis, she came to the United States as a young girl and had been a resident of East Hartford for most of her life. She was employed for many years by the East Hartford School Cafeteria System where she made many life-long friends. She later retired from Sage-Allen & Company, East Hartford where she worked in the Accounts Payable department for several years. Stella was a proud wife and mother who loved caring for her family as she was an excellent cook and talented seamstress. She enjoyed all types of craft projects as well as her volunteer work at the American Lung Association in East Hartford, the East Hartford Soup Kitchen, and at the East Hartford South End Senior Center. A devout Catholic, Stella was a faithful communicant of Our Lady of Peace Church, East Hartford and a member of their Retirees Club. She also had a tremendous love for animals and always had one or two pets that she considered valuable members of her family. Stella is survived by her daughter, Charlene E. McHale of Scituate, MA; her son, Thomas C. Sartori of East Hartford; her sister, Nellie McGann of Hartford; her companion and special friend, Cornell Letourneau of East Hartford; her compassionate caregiver, Evelyn Isaacs who resided with and made it possible for Stella to remain at her home; many nieces, nephews, former co-workers, and dear friends. Besides her beloved husband and parents, Stella was predeceased by a sister, Anna Drasdis of West Hartford. Funeral services will be Monday (April 4th) at 9:30 a.m. from the D'ESOPO-East Hartford Memorial Chapel, 30 Carter Street, East Hartford with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Peace Church, Brandon Road/May Road, East Hartford. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery, East Hartford. Stella's family will receive friends and relatives on Sunday (April 3rd) from 3 - 6 p.m. at the funeral home chapel. Memorial contributions in Stella's name may be made to the Scituate Animal Shelter, 780 Chief Justice Cushing Hwy, Scituate, MA 02066. For on-line expressions of sympathy to the family please visit www.desopo.com.