Franco Tomaino

Franco Tomaino, 79, of Wethersfield, beloved husband of 55 years to Helen (Pope) Tomaino, passed away on Thursday (October 18, 2012) at St. Francis Hospital surrounded by his loving family. Born in Angoli Calabria, province of Catanzaro, Italy on March 29, 1933, he was the son of the late Arterio and Vicenzina (Graziano) Tomaino. Franco came to the U.S. in 1947. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He worked at Royal Typewriter and then for the Hartford Courant as an electrician for 34 years, retiring in 1995. He also served as a volunteer fireman with Company 3 in Wethersfield and was a faithful communicant and usher at Corpus Christi Church for over 40 years. Franco had a green thumb and loved gardening. He was known for his roses, hot peppers and tomatoes, as well as his homemade wine. He was a fan of the New York Yankees, UCONN women's basketball, professional soccer and WWE Wrestling. More than anything, however, Franco enjoyed his Sunday homemade pasta dinners with his family, who meant the world to him. In addition to his loving wife Helen, he is survived by his five devoted children Frank Tomaino and his wife Katia, Gina Tomaino, Lisa MacGovern and her husband Craig, Helen Veilleux and her husband David and Mary Wadsworth and her husband Ed, all of Wethersfield; seven adored grandchildren, John and James MacGovern, Emily and E.J. Wadsworth, Elizabeth Veilleux and Franco and Gabriella Tomaino; his sister and brother-in-law, Marie and John Mammone of Wethersfield; his sisters-in-law, Rose Aiello, Angeline Flanigan and her husband James, Connie Tomaino, all of Wethersfield and Patricia Tomaino of Niantic; his aunt, Brigida Tomaino of Wethersfield, as well as several nieces and nephews and other relatives in Australia and Italy. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by two brothers, Agostino and Sandrino Tomaino; a sister, Rose Tomaino; brother-in-law, Amedeo Aiello and uncle, Fiore Tomaino.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Corpus Christi Church, 601 Silas Deane Hwy., Wethersfield. Everyone is asked to please go directly to church. Burial with military honors will follow in Village Cemetery, Wethersfield. There will be no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, donations in Franco's memory may be made to the American Heart Association -CT Chapter, 5 Brookside Drive, P.O. Box 5022, Wallingford, CT 06492. The D'Esopo Funeral Chapel, Wethersfield is handling arrangements. For online expressions of sympathy to the family, please visit www.desopo.com.