Lapadula's death marks "end of an era"

Angelo Lapadula, who served the Bristol community for decades with a smile for everyone, is dead.
The longtime West End resident served the city for more than 40 years, including long stints as a water commissioner and the sealer of weights and measures.
Lapadula, 91, was long one of the most active Democrats in town and his party named their top annual honor for service to the city party after him.
Mayor Art Ward called him "a fine individual" this morning.
Joel Wulff, former chairman of the Water Board, wrote a nice tribute to him today:

The passing of Angelo Lapadula is the end of an era. I had the good fortune to know him as a friend and mentor for a quarter of a century. That made me a newcomer! I first met him when I joined the Board of Water Commissioners. I soon learned that he and my father had played ball together decades before.

Angelo always dwelt on the positive. If he saw something that was wrong, he took action to correct it. If he saw a political beginner being led astray, he would quietly take steps to meet with the victim and offer his insight. Only if you knew about it, could you understand what had prompted the change. He didn’t do it for the glory. He did it because it was the right thing to do.

Angelo was a Democrat, but he was an American first. He worked hard for his party. He made meatballs by the thousands for their fund raisers. He would joke about it at Water Board meetings. If anything upset him, it was when party dinners came up in conflict with Board meetings. The Board always took preference, and politics stopped when he took his seat at a meeting.

In this sad time, we must all give thanks for his life and labors. He leaves behind a loving family and a larger community that benefited from his service. If anyone is looking for a role model for life, Angelo was the man. As we mourn his death and try to offer sympathy to his family in their very personal and immediate loss, the best we can do is to salute his life and give thanks for having known him and been touched by his soul.

I will likely write something up for the newspaper about Angelo so if anyone reading this would like to comment for a story, please drop me a line at scollins@bristolpress.com. Be sure to identify yourself and, if I don't know you, give me a phone number so I can check with you.

Here's the obituary for Angelo:

Angelo D. Lapadula
Angelo D. Lapadula, 91, of Bristol, husband of Fanny (Chmieleski) Lapadula, died Friday, June 27, 2008, at Bristol Hospital. Angelo was born in Bristol April 13, 1917, and was a son of the late Giloramo and Rocchina (Fiore) Lapadula. He resided in Bristol all his life and before retiring he was employed at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, Southington. He was a member of St. Anthony Church and was a former member of the Terryville Knights of Columbus. Angelo was very active in the Bristol Democratic Party for many years, was a Water Board commissioner for the city of Bristol for several years and he also served as sealer of weights and measures for the city of Bristol. He enjoyed sports, especially baseball, and was the biggest Yankee fan ever. In addition to his wife, Angelo is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Adele Lapadula of San Diego, Calif.; two daughters and sons-in-law, Jeri and Thomas LaPorte of Bristol, and Cynthia and Albert Feliu of Lilburn, Ga.; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by two brothers, John and Michael Lapadula; and two sisters, Mildred Ferraro and Antoinette English. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Monday, June 30, 2008, 11 a.m., at St. Anthony Church, Bristol. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery, Bristol. Relatives and friends may call at Funk Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave., Bristol, Monday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. Online guest book is available at
www.funkfuneralhome.com

*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com