Joseph Guerrera

Joseph Guerrera, 82, of Newington and Old Lyme passed away peacefully, Sunday, December 24, 2017 at Hartford Hospital with his loving family by his side. He was born February 18, 1935 in Pontelandolfo, Province of Benevento, Italy, the son of Salvatore and Josephine (Addona) Guerrera. He came to the United States in 1950 and found his first job as a laborer with Guerrera and Sons in Hartford. He returned to Italy to the love of his life, Vittoria, they were married there, then they returned to Hartford. In 1969, they moved to Newington. Joseph’s dedication to hard work enabled him to become foreman for Lasker-Goldman of New York, which assigned him to work on the construction of the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, where he played a key role in the concrete portion of the project. Later, he moved on to become a half-partner in the Rinaldi Brothers construction company in Hartford, then as a co-founder of M and G Construction Company in Hartford. He retired from M and G in 2003 to spend more time tending to his large garden in Newington, spending summer times at his beach home in Old Lyme, and joining his many friends to play his favorite card game, scoppa, and become an acknowledged expert at bocce. Besides Vittoria, his wife of 62 years, Joseph is survived by three children: his son Salvatore Guerrera, his wife Shelley, and two children, Nicole and Joseph and his wife Christine; his son Antonio (Tony) Guerrera, State Representative –29th District, his wife, Nancy, and their children, Victoria Guerrera-Oliveira and her husband Jackson, and their daughter, Bella, and Laura, and Joseph; and his daughter, Josephine Florio and husband James, and their daughter Gabriella; as well as his sister, Anna Tancredi and her family in Italy, and his nephew, Donato, his wife, Laura, and their family; and a number of cousins. He also leaves his nephew, Salvatore, and his wife Concetta Guerrera and their family in Italy. He was pre-deceased by his beloved son Antonio Guerrera, who passed away at the age of 3 and his brother, Luigi. The funeral service will be Thursday, December 28, at 9 A.M. at the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 A.M. at St. Mary’s Church, 626 Willard Avenue, Newington. Entombment will immediately follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford. Calling hours are Wednesday, December 27, 4 to 7 P.M. at the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel. For online expressions of sympathy, please visit www.desopo.com