Avon Obituary: Louis Collacchi, 88

Louis J. Collacchi, 88, of Avon, beloved husband of Sadie (Morton) Collacchi, passed away on Sunday, June 19, 2016.

Louis was born in Chester, PA to Dominic and Albina (Lovari) Collacchi. He attended Chester High School and after graduating, enlisted in the US Navy during WWII. Like many men and women of his generation, Lou believed that serving your country in time of need was the right thing to do. After honorable discharge from the Navy, Lou enrolled in Temple University, where he met his future wife Sadie Morton. Their first date was on Valentines Day when Lou took Sadie to see Cyrano de Bergerac beginning their everlasting love and lifelong marriage.

After graduating from Temple, Lou was employed at Transcendental Aircraft as Corporate Secretary. He was then recruited by Kaman Aircraft, accepted the position and moved his family to Simsbury. During his career in industry, Lou was also employed by Heublein, Stanley Works and CIGNA. He also taught night classes in Business and Finance at University of Connecticut.

Blessed with athleticism, Lou played many sports as a young man including baseball, bowling, golf and racket-ball. He passed his love for baseball to both of his sons by teaching them the game, coaching their Little League teams and serving as President of the Simsbury Little League for many years. Lou could fix or build anything and was always a ready hand to build a swing set or shed, to lay bricks or repair your car. He built a custom addition to their home in Simsbury by himself.

Truly a renaissance man, Lou also passed his love for the arts, music and especially jazz onto his children and grandchildren through his extensive collections. Raised during the Great Depression, Lou embodied all the qualities of the Greatest Generation – believing that hard work, a good education and saving money are the cornerstones to success, which for Lou meant the ability to support his family. Lou was an amazing husband, father, grandfather and ultra family man with a sense of humor and deep love for family. His sense of personal obligation to his family was exceeded only by his love for each one of them.

Lou is survived by his wife Sadie, his son Chris and his wife Ann and their children, Kelley, Mike and Allie of Londonderry, NH; his son Paul and wife Roopa of Emerald Hills, CA; his sister-in-law Mary Schweizer and her family, Bill and Helen Schweizer and their daughters Katie and Sarah, of Amherst, NH; his nephew Larry Wenrich and his wife Renee and their daughters Jennifer and Lauren (Kostoff) and her husband Shawn and their son, Samuel. Lou was pre-deceased by his parents, his sisters, his brothers in-law, his father in-law and his beloved mother in-law, Sadie Morton.

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 10 AM at the Church of Saint Ann, 289 Arch Road, Avon. There will be no calling hours.

The Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center of Avon is caring for the arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Prince Thomas of Savoy Men's Scholarship Fund, 32 Old Farms Road, Avon, CT 06001 or a charity of your own choosing.