Obituary: Angelo Joseph Carella, 89, Formerly of Stamford

Angelo J. Carella

(October 17, 1926 - April 23, 2016)

Southbury — Angelo Joseph Carella, a Stamford native, World War II veteran and father of eight, died April 23 at River Glen Health Care Center in Southbury with his family all around him. He was 89.

Angelo and his wife, Dina DePalma Carella, also a Stamford native, have lived in Southbury for 17 years. At the time of his death they were one month shy of their 61st wedding anniversary.

Born Oct. 17, 1926 on Stamford's West Side, Angelo was the son of the late Giuseppe Carella and Filomena Macari Carella.

As a boy, Angelo lived through the economic hardships of the Great Depression. He attended Stamford High School and graduated J.M. Wright Technical High School as an apprentice electrician. It was the middle of World War II and his two older brothers were fighting overseas so, as soon as he was old enough, Angelo joined the Army, hoping to become a pilot in the Air Corps. But he was "washed out" of flight school and sent to fight in the Philippines, where the Army needed infantrymen.

After the war Angelo enrolled in engineering college on the G.I. Bill and got a job at Pitney Bowes, where he met Dina. He worked at Pitney Bowes, ultimately as an electrical engineer, for more than 40 years and had many friends there.

Angelo's favorite place was home, where he could fix anything and enjoyed Dina's cooking. His eight children, and later nine grandchildren, were his life. He rocked them to sleep, helped them with their homework, told them stories, made up games to play with them, ensured that their Christmas wishes came true, and cared for them in any way he could think to do.

His interests included Model A Fords, remote-control planes, model trains, and old coins and baseball cards. He was a devoted Catholic, a fourth-degree knight of the Knights of Columbus, St. Augustine Council #41, Stamford, and a parishioner of Sacred Heart Church in Southbury.

Besides his wife, Dina, he is survived by his children, Angela Carella of Stamford, Joseph Carella of Westerly, R.I., John Carella of Jupiter, Fla., Mary Moltumyr and husband Larry of Brandywine, Md., Paul Carella and wife Selena of Southbury, Anne Pearce and husband Doug of Westerly, R.I., Phyllis Penhallow and husband Tom of Charlestown, R.I., and David Carella and wife Angela of Stamford.

He also is survived by nine grandchildren: Nicholas, Tess and Jacob Carella of Southbury; Camille and Analiese Pearce of Westerly, R.I, Joseph and James Penhallow of Charlestown, R.I., and Angelo and David Carella Jr. of Stamford. He has one surviving brother, Joseph Carella of Spring Hill, Fla., and many nieces and nephews that he cared for very much. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by two brothers, Dominick and Lucien Carella, and his sister, Mary Laginestra.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, April 29, at Sacred Heart Church, 910 Main St. South in Southbury. Burial will follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Southbury.

Calling hours will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 28, at the church. Arrangements by Carpino Funeral Home, Southbury, CT.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Sacred Heart Church, Haiti Ministry, 910 Main Street South, Southbury, CT 06488.