Joseph Sebastian “Joe” Bartolotta, a loving husband and father, and a friend to any dog who crossed his path, passed away peacefully with family at his side at Fairview Nursing Home in Groton, Connecticut, on Monday, April 9, 2018. He was 88.
Joe was the beloved husband of Annie Josephine “Josie” (O’Hagan) Bartolotta and passed away just one day shy of their 64th wedding anniversary. Though disappointed, Josie forgave him – as she was known to do from time to time throughout their six-decade marriage.
Joe was born on November 21, 1929 in Middletown, Connecticut, son of the late Sebastian and Anna (Cardella) Bartolotta. He grew up on Williams Street and later South Main Street. He graduated from Middletown High School in 1947, where he was a member of the Rifle Team and, in his senior year, earned second place in a statewide competition.
Joe enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at the outset of the Korean War and was stationed in England – far away from the fighting, which made his mother extremely happy. It was there that he would meet his future wife on Christmas Day, 1953. Joe returned to the U.S. with his new bride, introduced her to Sicilian cooking and brought her to Ebbets Field to see the Brooklyn Dodgers – a team that he loved like no other, until they moved to Los Angeles.
Following his Honorable Discharge, Joe opened a Western Auto franchise in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Later, the store became J. & J. Supply Co., and together they were mainstays at 266 Main Street for more than 25 years.
Joe was active in the community as a member of the Exchange Club and Rotary Club, and later the Knights of Columbus, where he achieved the rank of District Deputy.
Later in life, Joe would work as a hardware salesman, before ultimately taking his retail expertise to launch a second career as a Walmart associate in the Cromwell and Lisbon, Connecticut, locations. He enjoyed his work there and stayed well into his retirement years, refusing to become a greeter because he enjoyed helping people and stocking shelves.
Known to work six days a week, Sundays were reserved for family, which often meant car rides to see relatives or simply an autumn drive on a country road somewhere in southern New England. A life-long fan of the New England Patriots, the family would still come first on Sundays in the fall – though all of his children can vividly recall the sound of the Patriots’ broadcast on AM radio.
Besides his wife, he will be lovingly missed by his children: Kathleen Frank, Eileen Nichols and husband Geoffrey, Michael Bartolotta, and Joseph Bartolotta and wife Amy; his grandchildren, Geoffrey Nichols and wife Lauren, James Nichols and wife Kristen, Kyle Frank, Lauren Evans and husband Ryan, Karen
Bayek and husband Karl, Victoria Bartolotta, Christopher Bartolotta, Sarah Bartolotta, and Michael Bartolotta; and great-grandchildren Amber Bayek, Braydon Bayek, Gia Bayek, Harper Nichols and Jaxson Nichols; and numerous nieces, nephews, close friends, and his sister Lucy Bascetta of Fredericksburg, Virginia.
A private funeral Mass will be held at St. Sebastian's Church, 155 Washington St., Middletown, on Monday, April 16, at 11 a.m.
In appreciation for the wonderful care and staff at Fairview, the family requests any memorial contributions be made in his honor to Fairview, 235 Lestertown Road, Groton, CT 06340, ATTN: Development, or can be made out online at https://www.fairviewct.org/Give_to_Fairview/
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