Obituary of Jon Casella

Jon A. Casella, 74, of Glastonbury, passed away on Tuesday January 25, 2011 after a brief illness. Jack as he was known , was a lifetime resident of Glastonbury. He was predeceased by his father and mother John and Alice Casella. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 52 years Jean Casella and companion his St. Bernard dog "Beau Brommel". He also leaves his cousin and his wife Alfred and Judy Pucci of Southington, his godson and his wife Michael and Kim Pucci of Danbury and a sister-in-law Ann in New York. Jack had several special friends David Krar of Glastonbury, Alan Roy and his wife Mary Ann of Andover and Tim Bartlett and his wife Diane of Colchester. Jack graduated from Norwich University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1958. He began his work career as a Process Engineer for Berkin Manufacturing. In 1960 he began his career with Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. From 1960 to 1978 he oversaw the technological development of high pressure turbines for various gas turbine engine models, as a senior project engineer. Upon leaving Pratt & Whiney, Jack endeavored in his true love of land excavation and development. Jack formed the J.A. Casella Custom Excavating, which he owned and operated until his passing. Jack developed many home sites within the Town of Glastonbury located on Shoddy Mill Road, Old Maids Lane, Hunters Lane, Cedar Ridge Drive, Meadow Brook subdivision and Knollwood Drive. The Glastonbury community will sorely miss the philanthropic donations made by Jack and Jean, collectively worth millions of dollars to the residents of Glastonbury. There were projects in town that Jack worked on where he donated his time, equipment and materials, here are just a few of the many, Buttonball School playscape, Eastbury School athletic field construction and playscape, Gideon Welles School playground improvements, Hebron Avenue School playscape, courtyard improvements and paved the walkway to grade K playscape, the Hopewell School playscape, Naubuc School three playscapes, the Nayaug School playscape and at the Smith School the bullpen for the baseball field. They also donated several defibrillators to the Glastonbury Police Department. Funeral service will be Saturday Jan. 29 at 10:45am from the Mulryan Funeral Home, 725 Hebron Ave., Glastonbury, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30am in St. Augustine Church, 55 Hopewell Rd., South Glastonbury. Burial will follow in St. Augustine Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Friday Jan. 28 from 4-8pm. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Connecticut Children's Medical Center Foundation, 12 Charter Oak Place, Hartford, CT. 06106. For online tributes please visit www.mulryanfh.com.