August “Gus” J. Iacobellis II, son of the late August and Maria (Luisa) Lavorgna-Iacobellis passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family at home on Sept. 2, 2024. He was born July 10, 1932, a Sunday, in Wallingford. Gus was the husband of Mildred (Millie Burkhart) Iacobellis.

During their 62 years of marriage, they raised five children. He always had an eye for nature, an ear for music, and a heart for people. He was a graduate of local schools and of New Haven College (University of New Haven), graduating with a B.S. degree in business administration and a master’s degree in Education from Southern Connecticut State University and post graduate selected MBA studies from the University of New Haven. For many years, Gus held a Connecticut State Real Estate License.

He was also a member of the original small group of students that founded and established the criminal justice program at New Haven College. He was a member of President Ronald Reagan’s Private Industry Committee overseeing expenditures and allocating Federal Funds for the upgrading and regenerating of training programs in the private sector. For some twenty years, he was an adjunct instructor at University New Haven and Teikyo Post University (Post University).

After some 50 years in the field of Personnel Management, Gus retired as director of Human Resources from C. Cowles & Company of North Haven. He was a consultant to several Connecticut Industrial Firms from 1952 to 1960. Gus served in the U.S.A.F. Strategic Air Command during the Korean and Cold War and received the National Defense Service Medal award in March of 1954. He was released in 1956 and was immediately placed on Air Force call-up status for future conflicts. He was honorably discharged in 1960, after serving eight years in the U.S.A.F.

He was active in several community activities, a tutor for the Hamden Board of Education, a mentor in the Guilford Public School system, instructor at the MT, Saint John School, Deep River, and the afterschool Programs at the YMCA in Westbrook, and substitute teacher, Chairperson for The Republican Town Committee, Nominating Committee, Vice Chair of Guilford Lakes Golf Course, Board of Directors for Guilford ABC Program, SCORE, and the gang of eight plus club for Thursday morning coffee meetings to discuss and review daily political issues. He was an avid reader who enjoyed yardwork and his vacations in Vermont with family and friends, as well as listening to their wedding song, “That’s All,” as well as his favorite song, “Moon Light in Vermont,” by Frank Sinatra.

Gus leaves five children: Marc Iacobellis of Ivoryton, Michael and (Lisa) Iacobellis of Milford, John and (Jeannette) Iacobellis of Killingworth, Jennifer (Iacobellis) and (Michael) Rigg of Killingworth, and Linda Iacobellis and (Sheila Riffle) of Old Lyme; as well as six grandchildren: Justin and Christopher Iacobellis of Milford, Paige and Allison Iacobellis of Killingworth, and Patrick and Cora Rigg of Killingworth. Gus was predeceased by his infant son, Gregory Paul; and his brother Connie Iacobellis of Berlin. He is survived by his brother Dante Iacobellis of Branford; as well as several nieces and nephews.

Friends are invited to a Mass of Christian burial at noon on Saturday, Sept. 14, which will be celebrated at St. George Church, 33 Whitfield Street, Guilford. Burial will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38805; www.stjude.org; or Grace Cottage Hospital, P.O. Box 216, 185 Grafton Road, Townshend, VT 05355; gracecottage.org; or Wardsboro Public Library, P.O. Box 157, 170 Main Street, Wardsboro, VT 05355; www.wardsboropubliclibrary.org; or Covenant House, 461 Eighth Ave, New York, NY 10001; www.covenanthouse.org; or Boys Town, Father Flanagan Home, 200 Flangan Blvd, P.O. Box 6000, Boys Town, NE 68010; www.boystown.org. Arrangements in care of the Guilford Funeral Home, 115 Church Street, Guilford. To share a memory or leave condolences, visit www.guilfordfuneralhome.com.