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Louis Fabri

Louis “Lou” Evo Fabri, 96, of Old Saybrook, husband for 50 years of the late Barbara (Wade) Fabri, passed away on April 30, 2024, at his home. He was born in Old Saybrook on March 17, 1928, and was a lifetime resident in the town he so loved. He was the son of Victor and Delia (Baldi) Fabri.

He graduated from Old Saybrook High School and served his country from 1946 to 1948 by joining the U.S. Navy stationed on the heavy cruiser Rochester 124. Following his service to his country, he attended Boston University, where he majored in history and English and earned his bachelor’s degree in teaching. He did his student teaching and became a certified remedial reading teacher at Edward Devotion School in Brookline, Massachusetts. He earned his master’s degree at the University of Hartford. Following his graduation, he taught at Guilford High School for one year, teaching history and English to seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-grade students. He then went on to teach in the Old Saybrook school system as an eighth-grade and then sixth-grade teacher. He was also the assistant principal under Kathleen E. Goodwin. While in the Old Saybrook school system, he was the assistant coach of a baseball team, the coach for the junior high basketball team, and the assistant coach for the soccer team. He was the principal of Hatton Elementary School in Southington from 1960 to 1966 and then relocated to the Flanders Elementary School in Southington, where he remained their principal until his retirement in 1990. After retirement, he continued his education at Middlesex Community College, studying Italian. He taught Italian at Old Saybrook Adult Education for 19 years.

An accomplished accordion player, Lou had his own band for 42 years, the Lou Fabri Quartet, which later became the Lou Fabri Quintet. He was a member of the American Legion, the Elks Club, the Lions Club in which he served a term as president, Old Saybrook Racquet Club, the Deep River Horseshoe League, the Banner Lodge Golf League, and the Bowling League for Retired Seniors. He loved telling jokes, playing tennis, bowling, golf, crabbing, playing cards, and cribbage with his friends from the estuary.

Lou is survived by his nieces: Kathleen Richter of Old Lyme, Rosanne Rutty of Ivoryton, Judy Currier of North Falmouth, Massachusetts, and Nancy Rajasekaran of Reston, Virginia. He is also survived by his grand-nephews and nieces, Todd and Tina Bennett, Richard Kessell, Kevin Rutty, and Tori Radoff, and numerous extended family and friends. He was predeceased by his loving sister, Edwina Bennett; his brother, Evo Fabri; and his nephews, James Bennett and William Gustafson.

A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 15, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Old Saybrook, followed by a burial at St. John Cemetery in Old Saybrook. www.swanfuneralhomeoldsaybrook.com