Anthony "Tony" J. Spatafora, 84, of Westbrook and formerly of Wethersfield, loving husband of 44 years of Pauline (Harcovitz) Spatafora, died peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on Saturday, (July 21, 2012). Born in Hartford on January 10, 1928, he was the son of the late Salvatore and Rose (Bondi) Spatafora. He founded the Spatafora Travel Bureau with his father, Salvatore and his sister Lucy. He was the past President of the Connecticut chapter of SKAL, and a member of ASTA, the American Society for Travel Agents. He was an active member of the Hartford branches of Rotary and Unico. During World War II, he served in the Marines and was stationed in Europe. His greatest pleasure in life was spending time with his family and supporting them at sporting venues and school activities. His warm, kindly nature was admired by many and his sense of humor legendary. All who had the pleasure to be in his company knew his laughter to be contagious and his jokes numerous. His affable and nurturing talents lead to his accomplished growing of figs. Tony enjoyed collecting antiques and took great joy in driving his children around in his prized 1955 T-Bird. In addition to his wife, Polly, he leaves his children John Spatafora of Glastonbury his children Sean, James and Karen; Mary O'Connor and her husband Kevin of Hingham, MA, and their children Kelly, Katie, and Matt; Sally Spatafora and her partner Jackie Ivy of Wilmington, DE, and their children Alejandra and Lucy; Carole Simmons and her husband David of Wethersfield, and their children David and Matty; Anthony Spatafora and his partner Michael Vinton of Sherman Oaks, CA, and Trish Murray and her husband Brian of Wethersfield, and their children Emma, Michael and Colin. In addition Tony leaves his sister Lucy Spatafora of Wethersfield, and his brother-in-law James F. Murphy of Hartford. He was predeceased by his first wife, Helena Murphy Spatafora. The family would like to extend thanks to friends for their tremendous love and support during this difficult time. They would also like to thank Middlesex Hospital Hospice for their loving care of Tony during his final days.
Funeral services will be Thursday, July 26, with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 11 a.m. at Corpus Christi Church, 601 Silas Deane Hwy., Wethersfield. Everyone is asked to please go directly to the church on Thursday morning. Burial with military honors will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Park, (Section #15), Rocky Hill. Relatives and friends may call at the D'Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield on Wednesday, July 25th, from 4-7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Tony's name may be made to American Parkinson Disease Association, 27 Allendale Drive, North Haven, CT 06473. For online expressions of sympathy to the family please visit www.desopo.com