Joseph Bruno Fraccola, age 78, a resident of Darien, CT and Jensen Beach, FL, passed away on July 16, 2016 after a brief illness. Mr. Fraccola was born December 2, 1937 in Stamford, CT.
Mr. Fraccola is survived by his wife, Colleen Doyle Fraccola of Darien and Jensen Beach, FL and his mother, Mary Bruno Fraccola of Darien. His father, Anthony R. Fraccola, predeceased him.
He is also survived by six children, Anthony (Stephanie) Fraccola of Knightdale, NC, Tracey Hanold of Colorado, Christine (Aaron) Smith of Georgetown, CO, Kingston (Samantha) Fallon of East Greenwich, RI, Bruce (Christopher) Long of Milton, MA and Trina (Thomas) Erhard of Heber, UT, along with 13 grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Mr. Fraccola graduated from Darien High School in 1957, where he was an outstanding athlete. He played halfback on Blue Wave's first undefeated and untied football team in DHS history.
He was appointed to the Darien Police Department in 1959. He was called away by the U.S. Army to serve his country during the Bay of Pigs crisis. Returning back to the Darien Police Department, Mr. Fraccola served as a patrolman and later was appointed to the Detective Bureau until he retired in the late 1970's. Throughout his years on the force, he competed in and won many top honors in tri-state police department shooting tournaments. He was ranked a deadly marksman and was truly a cop's cop.
Jim always reminisced about all his great memories growing up in the 1940's and 1950's in Darien, hanging out with his buddies and cousins when life was so much simpler. A lover of sun, sand and surf, he always enjoyed family gatherings spent in Saltaire, Fire Island, and, in later years, the great life and home he made in Florida with his wife and beloved Golden Retriever, Tyler, by his side. Having his children and grandchildren spend vacations at his home in Florida, along with extended family and friends, made his retirement so enjoyable.
In lieu of flowers, please feel free to honor Jim's memory with a donation to Golden Retriever Rescue South Florida, c/o LeeAnn Runkle, P.O. Box 17084, Plantation, FL 33318 or directly on their website www.goldenrescuesouthflorida.com.
The family will receive condolences calls at Edward Lawrence Funeral Home, 2119 Boston Post Road, Darien on Tuesday, July 26th from 5-8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. John R.C. Church, 1986 Boston Post Road, Darien on Wednesday, July 27th at 11:00 a.m. Interment will immediately follow at Spring Grove Cemetery, Darien.