Obituary of Joseph Vallelunga

Joseph Vallelunga, age 83, of Oxford and formerly of Bridgeport, a retired shop steward for the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. with 30 years of service, died on Sunday, May 15, 2005 in River Glen Health Care, Southbury. Born in Serra San Bruno, Province of Catanzaro, Calabria, Italy on May 10, 1922, he was a son of the late Luigi Vallelunga and Carmella (Vellone) Vallelunga. A veteran of the Italian Army serving during World War II, Mr. Vallelunga was a member of Local #812 of the Soft Drink and Brewery Workers Union. He was an avid gardener and enjoyed winemaking.

Survivors include his beloved wife of 52 years, Teresa (Primerano) Vallelunga, two daughters, Carmella Vallelunga and Grace Konopka, all of Oxford; a brother, Raffaele of Italy, three sisters, Natalina and Lina, both of Italy and Biagia of Canada; three grandchildren, Michael, Danielle and Lisa Konopka of Oxford, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will take place on Friday, May 20, 2005 at 8:30 a.m. from the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road, Trumbull, and at 9:30 a.m. in Our Lady of Assumption Church, Fairfield for a Mass of Christian Burial. Entombment will follow in the Garden Mausoleum of St. Michael Cemetery, Stratford. Friends may call on Thursday from 4-8 p.m. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Research Foundation, 1 Intrepid Square, West 46th & 12th Avenue, New York, NY 10036 (www.alzinfo.org/donations/) or to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, 60 East 56th St., 8th Floor, New York, NY 10022 (www.bcrfcure.org/sup_howyoucan.html).