Santo Pappalardo

Santo ""Sam the Barber"" Pappalardo, 88, of East Hartford, loving husband of Iolanda (Floresi) Pappalardo and the late Mary Rose (Vernali) Pappalardo, returned home to the Lord on Friday (December 28, 2007), at Hartford Hospital. Born in Floridia, province of Siracusa, Italy, a son of the late Salvatore and Sebastiana (Failla) Pappalardo, he had resided in East Hartford since 1950. Sam was an Italian army veteran of World War II who served in East Africa where he was captured and a Prisoner of War for several years. Prior to his retirement he was the owner and operator for over 35 years of Sam's Barber Shop on Main Street, East Hartford. Sam was an avid vegetable gardener (especially tomatoes) and a wine maker. He also enjoyed listening to opera music, traveling back to his home country of Italy, dogs, and canary birds. However, most of all Sam was a family man who relished the time spent with his wife, children, and granddaughter. Besides his parents and first wife, Sam was predeceased by three brothers, Vincent, Francesco, and Joseph Pappalardo, and a sister, Giuseppina Corso. Along with his beloved wife, Iolanda, of 39 years, Sam is survived by a devoted son, Joseph F. Pappalardo of East Hartford with whom he made his home; a special daughter, Nella A. Pappalardo Morello and her husband, Salvatore Morello, of Rocky Hill; a sister, Maria Corso and her husband Frank of Como, Italy; one adored granddaughter who was the light of his life, Loredana M. Morello of Rocky Hill; several nieces, nephews, and former customers. Funeral service will be Friday January 4 at 9:30 a.m. from the D'ESOPO-East Hartford Memorial Chapel, 30 Carter Street, East Hartford, with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 10:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Peace Church, 370 May Road, East Hartford. Entombment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, Hebron Avenue, Glastonbury. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home chapel on Thursday January 3 from 5 - 8 p.m. Memorial contributions in Santo's memory may be made to the American Lung Association, 45 Ash Street, East Hartford, CT, 06108. For any on-line expressions of sympathy to the family please visit www.desopo.com.