Rocky Hill Obituary: Lt. Frank Sperini, 87

Lt. Frank A. Sperini, Retired, 87, of Rocky Hill, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 8, 2017.

Born in Hartford on December 10, 1929, he was the son of the late Angelo and Albina Sperini. Frank grew up in Hartford and was a graduate of Weaver High School, where he played on the football team and was a member of the Boys Leader Corps. He served a short time in the Army Air Corps and was called back to service during the Korean War.

Following his military service, Frank joined the Hartford Police Department and rose to the rank of Lieutenant. From 1961-1977, he was voted President of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association. As President, Frank and his best pal, Lt. Bill Shea, produced the annual police benefit show at the Bushnell, where they brought in such talent as Vaughn Monroe, Gordon MacRae, Al Martino, Helen O’Connell and even a young Jay Leno. On one trip to New York to book his show, Frank met Mickey Mantle and got an autographed baseball. Being a Yankees fan since 1945, this was one of the greatest thrills of his life.

To Frank, Lt. Bill Shea was like a brother, and in 1963 Bill introduced him to the International Conference of Police Associations. Shortly thereafter, Frank was elected President of that Association. Among his many accomplishments, Frank was a master marksman, a member of the U.S. Army Pistol Team in Germany and the Hartford Police Pistol Team.

After retiring from the Hartford Police Department, he was in charge of security at Connecticut Natural Gas. He then worked security at Hartford Superior Court, retiring at the age of 75. He belonged to the VFW Post #2849, the American Legion Post #32 and the Chiefs of Police National Association.

An avid golfer, Frank was a member of the Wethersfield Country Club since 1971 and was also a member of the US Golf Association. Above all, Frank was a loving father and grandfather.

He will be dearly missed by his son, Frank M. Sperini and his wife Lynn of Wethersfield and two beloved grandchildren, Emily Sperini and Paul Sperini. He also leaves his sister, Alice Carola of Wethersfield, who cared for Frank since childhood, a sister-in-law Jean Tanski of Deep River, as well as many nieces, nephews and friends. In 1972, Frank was predeceased by his wife Lottie R. (Tanski) Sperini, the mother of his only son. He was also predeceased by his late wife Halje (Tamm) Sperini in 2011, his brother and sister-in-law, Alfred and Judy Sperini, a sister and brother-in-law, Josephine and Raymond Griffen, also his brothers-in-law, Joseph Carola and Walter Tanski, two nephews Edward Tanski and Raymond Griffen, a step-brother, Michael Rubino and a step-sister, Rose Grasso.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Monday, November 13th at 11 a.m. at St. James Roman Catholic Church - Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish, 767 Elm St, Rocky Hill. Burial with full military honors will follow in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford. Friends and family may call on Monday (prior to services) from 9-10 a.m. at the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Frank’s memory to the CT Humane Society, 701 Russell Road, Newington CT 06111 or to Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301.

To share a memory of Frank with his family, please visit www.desopo.com.