Wethersfield Funeral Director Elected President of CT Association

The Wethersfield-based Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA) has elected Lionel J. Lessard, Jr., CFSP, as its 2023 President. Lessard is a licensed funeral director/embalmer and the General Manager of D’Esopo Funeral Chapel in Wethersfield and D’Esopo East Hartford Memorial Chapel. Lessard was elected Board president at the association’s annual convention. He succeeds David W. MacDonald, CFSP, CPC, CCO, of Wallingford Funeral Home and Yalesville Funeral Home, who served as CFDA’s President in 2021 and 2022.

Lessard is recognized as a Certified Funeral Service Practitioner (CFSP) through the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice. Prior to his election as President, he served as Vice President of CFDA's Executive Board.

“I’m looking forward to representing funeral directors in over 220 funeral homes across Connecticut and continuing to ensure the highest professional standards of service,” says CFDA’s new President Lionel Lessard. “This includes offering families a growing array of funeral and memorial options so that every event can be personalized and memorable. Another focus this year is to expand CFDA’s outreach into high schools and professional mortuary science programs to encourage a new pool of talented people to consider careers in funeral service, and to provide them with an increasing number of apprenticeships and job opportunities.”

Lessard became a licensed funeral director/embalmer in 1984 after receiving his professional schooling from the former New England Institute of Applied Funeral Arts and Sciences in Massachusetts. He joined the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel in 2000. He previously was employed for 21 years by Newkirk & Whitney Funeral Home in East Hartford and West Hartford.

Lessard lives in East Hartford with his wife, Christina. He is a Trustee of the Connecticut River Valley Chamber of Commerce. A member of the Economic & Strategic Development Committee of Goodwin University in East Hartford, he also serves on the Advisory Board of the University’s Funeral Service Program. Lessard is a member of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Sports Management Group-Nutmeg State Games, and is a Paul Harris Award recipient of the Rotary Club of East Hartford.

The Wethersfield-based Connecticut Funeral Directors Association’s 2023 Officers and Executive Committee members all are licensed funeral directors/embalmers. The following is the full list:

President: Lionel J. Lessard, Jr., CFSP, of D'Esopo Funeral Chapels in East Hartford and Wethersfield;

Vice President Melissa Melin-Miles of Alderson-Ford Funeral Homes, Inc. in Cheshire, Naugatuck, and Waterbury;

Treasurer: Edward J. Sheehy, Jr. CFSP, CPC, CCO, of Riverview Funeral Home in Shelton, and Edward F. Adzima Funeral Home in Derby;

Secretary: Jonathan L. Green, CPC, CCSP, of Abraham L. Green & Son Funeral Home in Fairfield;

Immediate Past President: David W. MacDonald, CFSP, CPC, CCO, of Wallingford Funeral Home in Wallingford, and Yalesville Funeral Home in Yalesville;

Executive Committee: Robert W. Hansen III of Mulryan Funeral Home in Glastonbury;

Executive Committee: Michael J. Introvigne of Introvigne Funeral Home in Stafford Springs;

Executive Committee: Lissa Lovetere-Stone of Munson-Lovetere Funeral Homes, Inc. in Southbury and Woodbury;

Executive Committee: Jessica J. Mercuri of Ahern Funeral Home in Hartford and Unionville;

Executive Committee: June R. Williams, CFSP, CPC of Carmon Community Funeral Homes in Windsor (2), Avon, Granby, Rockville, South Windsor, Suffield, Vernon, and Hartford;

Executive Committee Alternate: Joseph A. Murray of Castiglione Funeral Home, Inc. in Greenwich;

Executive Committee: Alternate: Dean McMorran, Jr. of B.C. Bailey Funeral Home, Inc.in Wallingford, and Bailey Funeral Home in Plainville; and

NFDA State Leadership Representative: Diana Duksa Kurz, CFSP, of Duksa Family Funeral Homes in Newington, and Duksa Family Funeral Home at Burritt Hill in New Britain.

The Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA) is comprised of funeral directors at more than 220 funeral homes. Founded 134 years ago in 1889, the Wethersfield-based association is committed to the promotion and advocacy of high ethical standards in funeral service. This includes the development and presentation of ongoing professional training opportunities for practitioners and educational programs for association members and the public. For information about the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association, call 860-721-0234 or visit www.ctfda.org or www.facebook.com/ConnFDA.