Obituary: Francis L. Barrila, 87, of East Lyme

Information via Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Homes

Francis L. Barrila, 87, entered eternal life peacefully on Friday evening surrounded by his loving family. The son of Italian immigrants, Frank also known as "Sonny" by his parents, grew up in Thompsonville CT and was a lifetime resident of East Lyme.

As a youth he picked tobacco in Enfield and helped his father who was an electrician and owned his own electrical business. He was the first member of his family to attend college graduating from the University of Connecticut with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He also achieved advanced degrees in Electrical Engineering as well as an MBA and was certified as a Professional Engineer.

Frank graduated from UCONN on a Saturday and started work at General Dynamics, Electric Boat Division on the following Monday and worked there for the next 40 years. As a young engineer he made significant technical contributions in the advancement of submariner command and control systems. Through the years he worked his way up the corporate ladder having led engineering and drafting departments at Electric Boat before being appointed as the head of the Trident Program Systems Engineering. Frank was very active in his community and church serving as a Grand Knight, in the East Lyme Knights of Columbus as well as a deacon at St. Agnes in Niantic and was a member of the parish at St. Mathias in Flanders.

Early in his career he was also very active in town politics serving on the Democratic Town Committee. Frank was also an avid sportsman, golfer and bowler. He belonged to the Niantic Sportsman's Club and was New London County's Pistol champion. During retirement he enjoyed golfing and socializing at the Black Hall Club in Old Lyme along with his wife and the love of his life for 61 years, Arlene Foley Barrila, also of East Lyme. He served as Black Hall's membership chairman and was very active in the club and was an Osprey member at the time of his death.

Having grown up during the depression he was both frugal and at the same time very generous to his family and friends. In a time of need he could always be counted on to help unconditionally with any problem or crisis freely giving money or his time. He was an accomplished electrician, plumber, carpenter and auto mechanic. He was able and willing to take on almost any task regardless of its complexity.

Frank is predeceased by his parents Frank and Rose Barrila of Old Saybrook, his brother Robert Barrila of Plainfield, and his son Todd Robert Francis Barrila of East Lyme. In addition to his wife Arlene, he is survived by his sister Grace Matyskeila Lyndsey and her husband Stuart of Farmington, his sons Craig Barrila and fiancé Jeaninne Scacciaferro of New London and Mark Barrila and his wife Noelle Fox of Niantic and his daughter Lisa Barrila and her husband Bill Pratt of Groton. He also enjoyed seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday December 13, 2016 at 11 O'Clock atSt. Matthias Church 317 Chesterfield RoadEast Lyme. Interment will follow in East Lyme Cemetery. There are no calling hours.

Donations in his memory may be to The New London Community Meal Center 12 Montauk Avenue New London, CT 06320. Thomas L. Neilan & Sons East Lyme Funeral Home 48 Grand Street Niantic is in charge of arrangements.