Gregory Adams Rotello was born in Danbury on March 24, 1951, to the late Louis Rotello, a teacher and real estate investor, and Christine Adams Rotello, a teacher and civic activist. He was a member of Danbury High School's Class of 1969 and attended Fordham University in the Bronx.
In 1969, he attended the Woodstock Festival. In the early 1970s, he was active in the Royal Embassy of Ooh-Ah Land, a health food and crafts store on Liberty Street. He later lived in Cornwall and Ridgefield before returning to Danbury in 2010.
Greg was a lover of animals, nature and travel. He crossed the U.S. several times, living in California and elsewhere, and traveled often to Europe. He worked at multiple jobs throughout his life and was a prolific artist, photographer and inventor. Among his patents was a device for determining the speed and trajectory of aircraft and a mechanism called the Oyster Gun, which opened oysters with the pull of a trigger. More recently, he was active in the Danbury Hackerspace, a business incubator for artists and inventors.
For the past 13 years, he was the primary caregiver for his father, who died in 2014, and then his mother, who died in February 2024. He was a descendant of many Colonial Danburians and had recently become a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.
He is survived by his brothers, Gabriel, a journalist and television producer, and Paul, a member of the Danbury City Council; and by his companion, Marie Desmons, a French teacher, her children Nate and Maddie Cullerton, and Nate’s son, Julian.
A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, January 25,2025 at 1:00 p.m. at Green Funeral Home, 57 Main St., Danbury, CT.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his name can be made to Family & Children’s Aid of Danbury,80 West St., Danbury, CT 06810 or to Happily Furever After Rescue, 70 Midway Dr., Bethel, CT 06801 or the World Wildlife Fund, 1250 24th St., NW, Washington, DC 20037.
