Deacon Laurent L. Cote

Deacon Laurent Cote, after 85 wonderful years, peacefully completed this life’s journey on March 16, 2018. Deacon Larry was born in St. Leonard, New Brunswick, Canada on November 9, 1932 and was the son of late Willie and Antonia (Morin) Cote. He was raised in Grand Falls, New Brunswick. After coming to New Britain, CT in November 1952, he served in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict. After his discharge in 1955, he continued his military service in the CT National Guard where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, and subsequently attended the Ward School of Electronics in Hartford, CT which became part of the University of Hartford. Upon graduating in 1959, he worked for IBM for 32 years. While attending a basic school for IBM in Endicott, NY, he met the love of his life, Eleanor (Ellie) Sedora. They were married on June 3, 1961 and have resided in Bristol, CT since 1964. As the family nest began to empty, Larry and his wife Ellie became snow-birds owning a villa in Sarasota, Florida. Devoting himself to his family, his church and his work, he became a member of the Knights of Columbus in 1961. In 1976 he attended seminary on a part time basis and was ordained Permanent Deacon in 1980 whereupon he was assigned to St. Gregory in Bristol for 15 years. In 1995 he was transferred to St. Anthony in Bristol until his retirement from the Diaconate. While assigned at both of these parishes, he prepared and organized the Altar servers, the Proclaimers of the Word and the Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist. Recognizing the importance of the parish societies, he participated in the Rosary Society and OSIA. As a deacon of the Archdiocese of Hartford, he volunteered at Manson Youth Institute for 9 years. He also attended regular meetings and retreats devoted to the Diaconal life in Bristol. Shortly after his retirement from IBM in 1991, he was hired by the CT Dept. of Corrections as the Catholic Chaplain for Bridgeport Jail and eventually transferred to Webster Correctional in Cheshire. Not believing in a rocking chair lifestyle, Larry again volunteered at the Bristol Senior Center. In addition to his wife Ellie of 56 years, Deacon Larry is survived by a daughter and son-in-law Renee and Walter Jedziniak of East Hampton, CT; a son and daughter-in-law Gregory and Terri Cote of Granby, CT; and a son Gary Cote of Bristol; four brothers: Gerald Cote of OK; Camille Cote of Lewiston, ME; Patrick Cote of New Britain, CT; Brian Cote of Bristol, CT; his sister Noella Langlois and her husband Roger of Hillsboro, NH, and his sister Diane Cote of New Britain; six grandchildren, Carolyn, Marissa and Ava Grace Jedziniak, Samuel, Emily and Sydney Cote, and several nephews and nieces. Deacon Laurent was pre-deceased by his brothers Bertrand Cote and Clifford Cote, and by his sister Gloria Raymond. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM on Tuesday (March 20, 2018) at St. Gregory the Great Church, 235 Maltby St., Bristol. Burial, with military honors, will be held in St. Joseph Cemetery, Bristol. Relatives and friends may call at Funk Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave, Bristol on Monday between 4 and 8 PM with the Office of the Dead at 6:30 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Gregory the Great Church, 235 Maltby St., Bristol, CT 06010. Please visit Deacon Larry’s memorial web-site at www.FunkFuneralHome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Deacon Laurent L. Cote, please visit our floral store.