Thomas A. Miele,

Thomas A. Miele, Sr., 93, of Colchester, formerly of Niantic, Newington, Hartford and Hoboken, NJ, husband of the late Jennie (Tommasino) Miele died Tuesday (January 15, 2008), at a local convalescent home. Born in Sessa Aurunca, province of Caserta, Italy, he was the son of the late Gennaro and Rosa (Forte) Miele and lived in the Greater Hartford area for most of his life. He retired in 1979 from the City of Hartford Parks and Recreation Dept. after 22 years of service. He was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army and was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Moose Club, South End Seniors, the South End Club, the Italian American Home, the Barry Square Seniors and the International Longshoremen's Association. He is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Thomas A. Miele, Jr. and Denise Miele of Newington, Gennaro and Donna Miele of Niantic, and Anthony and Susan Miele of Greensburg, PA; two daughters and a son-in-law, Rose Tine of East Hartford and Jeanne and Roger Fugate of Berlin; a stepdaughter, Nina Emden of Wilmington, NC and a stepson Peter and his wife Joanne DiResta of Niantic; 18 grandchildren; Jason, Jennifer, Michael, Justin, Anthony, Jr., Jordan and Brandon Miele, Letitia Hedstrom, Jaime Willey, Joseph Tine, Lorraine Thompson, Jodie Koch, Christie Tine, Christine Duffy, Donald Emden, Karen Niemczyk, Kristie Leff and Peter DiResta, Jr.; 13 great grandchildren; two sisters, Anna and Jennie Miele of Hartford and a brother and sister-in-law, Anthony and Josephine Miele of Wethersfield. He was predeceased by a son-in-law, Donald Emden and a grandson, William Emden. The funeral is Saturday at 9:15 a.m. from the D'Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd. Wethersfield with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in St. Augustine's Church, Hartford. Burial with full military honors will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford. The family will receive relatives and friends on Friday from 4 - 7 p.m. at the funeral home. For on-line expressions of sympathy please visit www.desopo.com