Michael Zommer

Michael and Linda were married for 55 years, and together they built a lovely colonial and raised four children in Southington, CT. Besides his wife, Michael is survived by daughters, Michele Zommer of Southbury and Melinda Zommer of Southington, son, Mark Zommer and Amanda Theriault of Farmington, daughter-in-law Maureen (Moore) Zommer, son-in-law Gregory Klein; and by 11 grandchildren and one great-grandson: Briahna Drumm of Danbury, Louis Klein of Southbury, Michael Zommer of Canton, Melissa and Jessica Zommer of Plainville, Amanda Drumm, Olivia Kalmar, and Makenzie Swift, all of Southington, and Cole, Grace and Luke Zommer, of Farmington; and one great-grandson, Jaxon Zommer. He was predeceased by son Michael L. Zommer, who died from ALS in 2013.

Michael was born in Hartford on Nov. 28, 1938, to the late Michael H. Zommer and the late Helen Zommer, grew up in Plainville, and graduated from Goodwin Tech. He was a U.S. Army veteran. He is survived by all four of his siblings, Susan Cameron and her husband Gary of Southington, Frances Krysiak and her husband Alan of Plainville, and Janet Vandrilla and Linda Zommer, both of Plainville; and by five nieces and one nephew, Dena (Fabrizio) Botsacos of East Hampton, neice Tricia (Fabrizio) Bueller of Plainville, neice Carrie Cameron of Bristol, nephew Brian Cameron of Plainville, neice Julie Vandrilla of Plainville, and neice Jennifer (Vandrilla) Culbertson of Colorado.

Michael was the classic small business entrepreneur who worked hard and earned the respect of many for his honesty and humility. He was best known for his trash hauling business, Waste Material Trucking Company, which he grew from one truck in the 1960’s to become one of the most trustworthy, modern residential waste and recycling companies in central Connecticut. He was a passionate antiques collector and ran a successful auction business in Plainville for two decades, the Bargain Barn. These traits earned him a Lifetime Achievement Award from Plainville Rotary.

In life, his greatest pleasures were golfing and quiet dinners with his wife and taking the kids waterskiing on Lake Winnipesaukee or on jeep excursions across Aruba.

Throughout his life Michael gave generously to the communities where he lived and worked.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 9:15 am from the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St. to St. Dominic Church, 1050 Flanders Road, at 10 am for a Mass of Christian Burial. Burial will be at St.Thomas Cemetery. Calling hours will be on Tuesday from 4-8 pm