Philip Corbesato

Philip F. Corbesato, age 73, of Shelton, beloved husband of Diane Corbesato, died on Thursday, December 24, 2015, at VA Medical Center in West Haven after a long and courageous battle with heart disease. Phil was born on August 24, 1942 in Bridgeport to the late Peter and Madeline Corbesato. Phil served proudly in the United States Army from 1963-1968, when he was honorably discharged. After serving his country, Phil was an active businessman with several restaurants and an industrial cleaning business. After his first heart attack at the age of 35 and several subsequent open-heart surgeries, he was rendered totally disabled. Unable to continue working in the traditional sense, Phil, together with his first wife, Jean (deceased), saw this as an opportunity to help children in need and became active in the Foster Care Program run by the State of Connecticut. Over the course of the next 18 years, they welcomed well over 80 foster children into their home, in addition to their five children. After caring for his first wife through a ten year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease, he was fortunate to meet and marry the second love of his life, Diane. Together, they made each other's life long travel dreams come true. They visited Amish country in Pennsylvania many times, Niagara Falls, Busch Gardens and North Carolina. They also enjoyed volunteering at the Shelton Senior Center where they used their culinary skills to dazzle the other members and participated in weekly Bingo. Together, they attended Walnut Hill Church in Derby. Phil is survived by his loving wife, Diane Corbesato of Shelton, devoted children Christine Lucas and her partner Mitch Hill of Greensboro, North Carolina, Cindy Dachenhausen and her husband Glenn of Monroe, Melissa Corbesato of Hoboken, New Jersey, Philip J. Corbesato and his wife Nicole of Ansonia, Amanda Corbesato and her fiancé Leigh Thomas of Bridgeport, stepson John Bazyk of Shelton, and Sheryl Zoufaly of Danbury, whom Phil loved like a daughter. He will also be greatly missed by his many precious grandchildren. He was predeceased by his first wife, Jean Corbesato. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, December 30th at 10:00am at Spadaccino and Leo P. Gallagher & Son Community Funeral Home, 315 Monroe Turnpike, Monroe. Interment will follow in the St. Michael Cemetery in Stratford. Family and friends may call at Spadaccino and Leo P. Gallagher & Son Community Funeral Home on Tuesday, December 29th from 4:00 to 8:00pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the VA Connecticut Healthcare System (http://www.connecticut.va.gov/giving/) or the American Heart Association (http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/). Online condolences may be made by visiting www.spadaccinofuneralhome.com