Hamden Obituaries: Fred Masotta, 81

Fred Masotta, age 81, of Hamden passed away at home surrounded by his family on May 24.

Fred was the beloved husband of over 55 years and best friend to his wife Diane (Jantzer) Masotta. In addition to his wife, Diane, Fred leaves his three children Gail (William) O’Keefe, Fritz (Eileen Passarello) and Suzanne Masotta all of Hamden. He also leaves his beloved grandchildren William (Nina) O’Keefe, Diane O’Keefe, Karissa Masotta, Timothy O’Keefe, Fred Masotta IV, Niko Masotta and Zachery Masotta.

He was predeceased by his parents Frederick & Mary (Tito) Masotta, Sr. and a sister Rosemarie Arpaia. He also leaves Rosemarie’s four wonderful children and six grandchildren.

A lifelong Hamden resident, Fred was very active in the community, from athletics to charity to commerce. In 1979 he was inducted into the Quinnipiac University Hall of Fame for Basketball. While in school there in the 1950’s, Fred was a two-sport standout starring on the basketball court and the baseball field for Quinnipiac.

Fred’s academic and athletic career was interrupted when, as a member of the U.S. Army, he served as a Sergeant First Class in Korea, where he earned a Bronze Star. After completion of his military duty, Fred returned to Quinnipiac to captain the baseball team and earn his degree in Business in 1957.

While still at Quinnipiac, Fred went into business in Hamden, first with SS&M Builders and then on his own with Craftsmen Inc., which he grew over the next fifty plus years to be a major presence in the Hamden community.

Craftsmen was from the beginning a true family business. Fred and Diane worked together to build it and as their three children got older they all became a part of the company. For the last 30 years his son Fred (Fritz) Masotta has been privileged to work with and learn from him on a daily basis.

Throughout the years Fred has received many honors including Hamden Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 1983 and the National Home Builders’ Association Lifetime Spike Award. He has also served on many Boards including the Hamden Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and the Sacred Heart Academy Father’s Board and the Quinnipiac University Athletic Advisory Board.

He was a proud member of American Legion Post 150 where he was honored for 50 years of membership. A huge sports fan, Fred watched all of the New York Giant games and tried to see as many Boston Red Sox and Yankee games as possible. He also avidly followed all Quinnipiac University sports as well as UConn men’s and women’s basketball.

What we will remember him most for are not the accolades that he so richly deserved and received, but for the lessons he taught us. Fred was a man who lived life with great joy and exuberance and quite a bit of noise. But he did good works quietly.

He donated and installed flag poles at many of the churches and ball fields in Hamden because he thought they should have them. At St. Raphael’s, he and Diane began a fund to raise money to help with cancer care. The Masotta Family Fund has grown through the years as they have been quietly donating to it and now they are poised, thanks to the help of many good friends, to open a “Lion’s Den," his is a special room at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital that will be set up for children battling cancer.

The family would like to thank the staff at The Saint Raphael’s Campus of Yale New Haven-Hospital and CT Hospice for their truly professional and compassionate care.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 10 a.m. in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. Friends are asked to go directly to church. Burial in All Saints Cemetery. Friends may call Thursday from 3 – 8 p.m. at Sisk Brothers Funeral Home 3105 Whitney Ave. Hamden

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Yale NH Hospital-Masotta Family Fun c/o Lucy Sirico, PO Box 1849, New Haven, CT 06508-1849. www.siskbrothers.com