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03/01/2013 01:00 PMEnzo Rudolph Montesi, 85, of Hamden, died at his home on Feb. 26, surrounded by his family. He was the husband of 61 years to Irene Wynne Montesi. Enzo was born in New Haven on May 2, 1927, son of the late Olympio and Bruna Antonetti Montesi. He had been a member of the U.S. Marine Corps and a World War II veteran. He was also a graduate of the first class of Fairfield University.
Enzo was the owner and president of Montesi Volkswagen of North Haven, founding the company in 1964. He was a member of the Greater New Haven Automobile Dealers Association and the Amity Club; past president of the Marchigiana Society; and a member of the Board of Directors of the former American National Bank. He was a philanthropic person, in particular making generous donations to the former Newington Children’s Hospital and the Amity Charitable Trust Scholarship Fund, and he was a major benefactor of the Hospital of St. Raphael.
Besides his wife, he is survived by his son Gary E. Montesi and wife Lisa of Guilford; two daughters, Claudia M. Cruz of Wallingford and Gail M. Siclari and her husband John of Madison; his grandchildren, Michael M. Cruz and his wife Laura of Orange, Mark S. Cruz of North Haven, and Christopher L. and Olivia L. Montesi of Guilford; and his great-grandson Evan W. Cruz of Orange. He is also survived by his former son in-law, Arthur M. Cruz; his sister Norma Bernacchia of North Haven; and two brothers, Edward Montesi and his wife Rosemarie of Wallingford and Ricardo Montesi of Hamden. He was predeceased by his brother-in-law Nullo Bernacchia and his sister-in-law Marlene Montesi.
His funeral procession will leave the Beecher & Bennett Funeral Home, 2300 Whitney Ave., Hamden, on Saturday, March 2, at 9 a.m. for a mass of Christian burial at 10 a.m. at St Rita Church, 1620 Whitney Ave., Hamden. Friends may visit with his family on Friday, March 1, from 4 to 8 p.m., at the funeral home. Entombment with military honors will take place in the Beaverdale Memorial Park Mausoleum in New Haven. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Connecticut Hospice, Inc, 100 Double Beach Rd., Branford, CT 06405. To send a condolence in his memory, please see: www.beecherandbennett.com.