Constance Rataic (Merendino)

Constance (Merendino) Rataic, 90, of Wethersfield, beloved wife of the late Peter John Rataic, died Tuesday, (January 14, 2014) at Hartford Hospital. She was born March 1, 1923 and was the daughter of the late Carmelo and Santa (Uccello) Merendino. She was very proud of her Sicilian heritage. She formerly worked for Heublein, Inc. and Sollima TV. Connie enjoyed playing cards with her many dear friends at the VFW, cooking for her family and going to Jai Alai. She was a longtime communicant of St. Luke Church. She will be dearly missed. Besides her husband, she was predeceased by her son, Peter C. “Sonny” Rataic; her daughter, Agnes Maria Rataic Burnett; four sisters, Maria Argento, Mattea Franzo, Rosa Sollima and Lucy Mancarella and three brothers, Frank, Tony and Joseph Merendino. Connie is survived by six adored grandchildren, John Burnett and wife Karen of Storrs, Mary Jane Takes and husband Kenneth of Tolland, Michael Burnett and wife Carin of Abbott, ME, Elizabeth Burnett of Storrs, Frank Burnett, III of Ashford and Crystal Clough of Massachusetts; 12 cherished great-grandchildren and three special great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral service will be Monday at 9:15 a.m. from the D'Esopo Funeral Chapel, 227 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at St. Luke's Church, 66 Bolton St., Hartford. The burial will be in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford. Calling hours are Sunday from 4-7 p.m. at the funeral chapel. For on line expressions of sympathy, please visit www.desopo.com.