George Intravia

George Intravia, 92, of Wethersfield, passed away peacefully Tuesday, July 12, 2016 surrounded by his loving family. Born on May 16, 1924, in Middletown, he was the youngest child of the late Joseph and Anna (Passanisi) Intravia. During his teenage years, the family relocated to Hartford along with the family business, Intravia Greenhouses. George was a proud veteran of World War II and spent two years in the Pacific Theater, serving on the LST 1029. Following the end of the war, the Intravia Greenhouses were eventually sold and George opened his own business with his brother Ed; Intravia Florist, which he then successfully operated as sole proprietor, with his wife Georgiana by his side, until his retirement in 1989. George had a special gift for treating his customers with respect, kindness, humor and empathy – whether he was creating beautiful floral arrangements to welcome new members of their family into the world, arranging breathtaking bouquets to help celebrate their marriages, or thoughtfully designing memorable farewell tributes when they suffered a loss. His artistic talent was only matched by his generosity, and he brought more beauty and kindness into the world than he ever took from it. A successful businessman until his retirement, he carried on the legacy of the Intravia florists with love and dignity. George was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather – always putting the needs of his family before his own. He enjoyed spending time with friends, passing on his most memorable stories to anyone who would listen, sharing his quirky sense of humor, and occasionally making “charitable donations” to the casino. He will be sorely missed by all who loved him. George was the beloved husband of the late Georgiana (Boni) Intravia for 49 years. He is survived by his devoted daughter, Donna Intravia (Shepherd), his cherished grandchildren, Jason Intravia Knapp and Adria Intravia Knapp, along with his special honorary granddaughter Thao Hau Barrett, her husband Dan Barrett, their children, Oliver Hau Barrett and Maxwell Hudson Barrett, and Thao’s siblings. George is also survived by his brother Joseph Intravia of Florida, and many dearly loved nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his siblings, William, John, Josephine, Sebastian, Lucy, Helen, Teddy and Edward, along with his beloved nephew, Teddy Intravia, nephew and Godson, Dean Boni, and niece, Maureen Hill.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, July 16th at 11:30 a.m. at Corpus Christi Church, 601 Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield. Burial with military honors will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery, 453 Fairfield Avenue, Hartford. Friends and family may call Saturday morning prior to the Mass from 9:00–11:00 a.m. at the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield. Donations in George’s memory may be made to Masonicare, 22 Masonic Avenue, Wallingford., CT 06492. To share a memory of George with his family, please visit www.desopo.com.