Obituary of Anthony J. Colonnese

Anthony (Tony) Colonnese, age 92, of Easton, beloved husband of Daisy Hurter Colonnese, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 2, 2017, with his loving family by his side. Born in Fairfield, he was a son of the late Anthony B. and Anna Cocivi Colonnese. Tony grew up farming his family's vegetable farm and at the age of 21 he joined the U.S. Army and served 2 years, participating in the Army occupation of Germany from 1945-1946. In 1948 he started the Sport Hill Service Station in Easton and grew that business into a thriving gas and service station. In 1949 he married the love of his life, Daisy. He loved to boat and camp at Candlewood Lake with family and friends. He was known to plow the neighborhood pond with his jeep for the kids to play hockey. Tony coached all three of his boys on the Rams for the Easton Little League. He was an avid skier and a Sterling Ski Club member for many years. Tony loved to golf, and was a very proud member of Connecticut Golf Club. He was a member of the Exchange Club of Easton, and organized the annual golf outing to raise funds for battered women for many years. He was a volunteer fireman and up until just a couple of years ago he was the one in the red shirt in the bingo tent at the Easton Fireman's Carnival. Tony was always ready to help anyone in trouble, and was the one to call if you got stuck on the road within a 50 mile radius of Easton!! He was very involved in his community all his life, serving on several town committees and was the First Selectman of Easton for 3 terms. Tony was instrumental in getting both the Easton Library and the Easton Community Center built. Tony was a staunch republican and was also very active in the Republican Town Committee. But above all of these things, Tony was a real and true family man. He was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. His love will continue to live on in their hearts. In addition to his beloved wife of 68 years, Daisy, survivors include his four loving children, Michael Colonnese and his wife Eileen, Robert Colonnese and his wife Connie, Anthony Colonnese and his wife Andrea and Betsy Manteiga and her husband John, 11 cherished grandchildren, Jennifer (Colonnese) Selinger and her husband Jayme, Brian Colonnese and his wife Maddie, Taryn Colonnese, Kane and Melia Colonnese, Aaron and Hannah Colonnese and Johnny, Matthew and Carrie Manteiga and Annaleis (Hogan) Soldau and her husband Tom, five great grandchildren, Kristen, Allie, Katie, Charlie and William, his brother-in-law, William J. Keck of California, three nieces, Carol Marashian, Sally Evans and Susan Truman as well as several other nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sisters, Caroline (Colonnese) Palumbo and Natalie (Colonnese) Keck. Funeral services will take place on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. in the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Rd., Trumbull. Interment will follow in Union Cemetery, Easton. Relatives and friends may greet the family on Monday from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 200 Executive Boulavard, Suite 4B, Southington, CT 06489 or at www.alzct.org.