Luigi “Gino” DeRose, 88, of Bristol, widower of Adina (Filosa) DeRose, died on Friday (June 4, 2021) at the Hospital of Central Connecticut, New Britain.
Luigi was born on September 4, 1932 in Aprigliano in the province of Cosenza in the Calabria region of southern Italy, to the late Paolo and Angela (Rossi) DeRose.
Luigi left his family in Italy, immigrating through Ellis Island to build a life in America. He married the love of his life, Adina, in 1967 and settled in Bristol to raise his family. Luigi was an accomplished tailor and worked at Allen Collins in West Hartford, as well as the Men’s Warehouse stores in both West Hartford and Meriden. He was a hard-worker all his life and continued to work until he was 82 years old!
“Papa Gino” was a devoted husband, loving father, and grandfather, and always put his family first. He was proud of his heritage and passed on speaking the Italian language to his family. He was an excellent cook and loved to entertain guests with his creations. He also enjoyed gardening, planting vegetables, and loved animals.
Luigi is survived by his loving daughter: Angela Higgins and her husband Chad Eric Higgins of Middletown; his beloved granddaughters: Kaylee Jenna DeRose and Tiffany Gianna DeRose. He had two brothers: the late Antonio DeRose and wife Teresa, and Corrondo DeRose and wife, the late Maria, and half-sister: the late Giovannia Perro all of Italy.
He also leaves behind much of his family in Italy: nephew, Paulo DeRose and late wife, Antonella, and children Francesco and Antonio; niece, Angela DeRose; nephew Paolo DeRose and wife, Gemma and their baby Corrondo (whom Gino loved very much); and his niece, Deborah DeRose Grandennette and husband Luca, and their daughter Ginevra. The Filosa family was his “second family” here in the United States, who treated him like a son: late father-in-law and mother-in-law: Luigi and Antoinetta Filosa and late brothers-in-law: Salvatore and Arturo Filosa.
Luigi was a phenomenal man, essentially an angel on earth. He was known to be extremely kind and genuine to anyone he would encounter; a man like no other. He now lays down to rest and will be missed dearly by many loved ones.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday (June 15, 2021) at 9 AM from Funk Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave., Bristol, to St. Anthony Church, 111 School St., Bristol, for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM. Entombment will follow in the Holy Family Mausoleum, 522 Terryville Ave., Bristol. Relatives and friends may call at Funk Funeral Home on Monday between 5 and 8 PM. Please visit Luigi’s memorial website at www.FunkFuneralHome.com
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