Noted Connecticut artist Joseph John Scarrozzo, husband of Angelina Marie Latina Scarrozzo and father of seven, died peacefully surrounded by his loving family on June 6, 2019 at 102 years of age. Born on December 10, 1916 in New Britain, Conn., Joseph was the son of Antonio and Lucia (DeLuca) Scarrozzo, who immigrated from Sicily, Italy to America through Ellis Island by 1911. His father died in an industrial accident when Joseph was 12 years old. While attending Nathan Hale School in New Britain, Joseph's art teacher saw his talent for painting. At her recommendation, Joseph became a student of noted artist Sanford Low. Joseph won a national scholarship in 1932 to attend the Vesper George School of Art in Boston. Joseph's mother died the following year, at the start of the Great Depression. Joseph returned home to support his four sisters, while a brother served in the military, performing manual labor and spending his breaks sketching fellow employees in various industrial scenes. He was one of the artists in the first exhibit of the Connecticut Watercolor Society. In 1936 Joseph was hired by muralist Thurston Munson to join Stanford Low and Walter Korder in the painting of a number of murals in New York City. He was hired as a muralist by the Worker's Progress Administration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt 1939. His murals of the life of Nathan Hale were installed at the Nathan Hale School in New Britain for many years, and then restored and featured at an exhibit in 1989 entitled "Joseph Scarrozzo: Early and Late Works" at New Haven Paint and Clay, of which she was a member and received numerous awards. His paintings reside in the permanent collections at the Wadsworth Atheneum and New Britain Museum of American Art. He actively painted and sketched until he became centenarian! Joseph supported the allied forces during World War II as an engineer for several aviation industry companies, specializing in drafting and tool design, and later worked at Pratt and Whitney Aircraft for 30 years, retiring in 1977 as a production engineer. Joseph married the love of his life, Angelina Latina, at age 27 in 1944, enjoying 61 years of marriage. The family moved to Farmington in 1955, raising four boys and two girls in the house Joseph designed, built and resided in for the rest of his life. Joseph was a life member of the Connecticut Watercolor Society and won painting competitions during every decade from 1930s through the 1990s. He was president of the New Britain Art League for many years. He was also an avid fly fisherman, hunter, skier and golfer, winning a Connecticut senior golf tournament. He loved sailing on his boat, "Jill," with family on Long Island Sound, traveling throughout Connecticut and New England to enjoy nature, to paint and sketch; attend his children and grandchildren's activities and events, and took many extended trips across country in the families camper including visits to a son in Colorado. He lived by three phrases: "Live and let live," "To each their own," and "It's a good life," phrases he repeated during his last days. Joseph was predeceased by his beloved wife, Angelina in 2006, and son Gerald who died at birth, his brother James Scarrozzo, his sisters Sophie Lombardo, Molly Fabretti, Virginia Latina and Rosie Snedeker. He leaves behind his beloved sons, John Scarrozzo of West Hartford, Conn., Robert Scarrozzo, of Lakewood, Colo., Anthony Scarrozzo of Farmington, Conn., and Thomas Scarrozzo and his wife Jean of Windsor, Conn., as well as his beloved daughters, Jean Scarrozzo (Riccio) of Farmington, and Joan Stockwell and her husband Christopher of Marblehead Mass. He also leaves behind his beloved grandchildren; Stacey, Jennifer (also a member of Connecticut Watercolor Society), Melissa, Jason, Nicholas, Thomas, Julia and great granddaughter Erika. Visiting hours will be held Wednesday, June 19, 2019 from 5-8PM at New Britain Memorial & Donald D. Sagarino Funeral Home, 444 Farmington Ave., New Britain, CT. Funeral services will begin Thursday, June 20, 2019 at 8:30am for a brief gathering, leaving at 9:00AM for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10AM at the Church of St. Patrick, 110 Main Street, Farmington, CT. Burial will be private, at a later date. For directions or condolences, visit www.newbritainsagarino.com
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