Alois Hockenbeck

/in /by

Alois John Hockenbeck, 92, a resident of Norwalk, passed away peacefully on January 24, 2024, with his loving wife by his side. Al was born in New York, NY on February 14, 1931 to the late Max and Hedwig Englin Hockenbeck.
Al was known for his sharp wit, humor and good conversation. He loved to instigate topics at family dinners with his unique choice of words with intent of provoking lively discussions on topics that were taboo. Having never been in favor of becoming a dog Dad, he had a love for all our ”girls”. He had a big heart and great sensitivity which shown through every day of his life.
Al is survived by his loving wife, Diane Galella Hockenbeck; his children; Keith Hockenbeck and his wife Maureen, Laura Hockenbeck and her significant other Gregory Olear; his grandchildren; Grace Hockenbeck and her husband Brian Riley and Melanie Hockenbeck. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Ann Wassner ;sister-in-law, Renee Lukaniec and her husband William;nieces and nephews, Raymond Wassmer, Thomas Wassmer, Megan Lukaniec, Erinne Bugge, Michael Lukaniec and his wife Ashley as well as his former wife, June Hockenbeck.
Besides his parents, Al was predeceased by his daughter, Jill Hockenbeck.
A private service and entombment will be held at St. John’s RC Cemetery Mausoleum, Darien.
Memorial donations may be made in Al’s name to the Dysphagia Research Society, https://www.dysphagiaresearch.org/donations/donate.asp?id=9104 or P.O. Box 1488 Warrenville, IL 60555.
To leave online condolences, please visit www.cognetta.com.

Rosario Mallozzi

/in /by

It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our loving father, Rosario Mallozzi Sr., who passed away January 12, 2024. Born May 28, 1932, he was a lifelong resident of Stamford, Connecticut.
He is pre-deceased by his sisters Jeannie, Betty, Ellen, Josephine, and Lucy he was loved by his sons Joseph (Lisa) and Rosario Jr. (Diane) and his grandchildren Mikaela, Jared, Christian, and Tarra.
Rosario was the owner of Mallozzi Construction and a member of the local 478 operating engineers for 30 years. When he wasn’t working he loved to restore and collect antique cars and watch his sons play hockey, which was his favorite sport, with the Montréal Canadiens being his favorite team. He was also passionate about his garden that he would start from seeds every spring and making his homemade wine with his son Rosario. He enjoyed going to church every Sunday at Saint Cecilia’s church and took pride in serving as an usher there.
In lieu of flowers. The family would appreciate donations to be given to The Chuch of Saint Cecilia, 1184 Newfield Avenue, Stamford, CT 06905 or www.stcecilia-stgabriel.org/online-giving.
Mr. Mallozzi’s services will be private.
To leave an online condolence message please visit the obituary posted on www.cognetta.com.

Isola McDonald

/in /by

Isola Florenta McDonald, 96, a longtime resident of Stamford, passed away on January 23, 2024. Isola was born on February 13, 1927, in Jamaica. Daughter of the late Margaret Hyman. Isola was known as Aunt Tiny. She was a loving and caring person. During her younger days she enjoyed spending time riding her bicycle .
Aunt Tiny was a free spirit, loved to eat and cook and always pampered Juan Carlos and spoiled him with delicious food and lots of love. She will be missed for all the people who knew her.

She is survived by her Niece Violet May Downer, and her great nephew Juan Carlos Tirado,Her niece Donna Malcolm, and in Jamaica her nieces
Marlene Downer, Val Irons, Delia Bennett and her dearest friend Jimmy Pipicelli. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Church, on Friday, January 26, 2024 at 11:00AM Interment will follow at Sping Grove Cemetery, Darien,

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Civita Care Center at Long Ridge , 710 Long Ridge Road, Stamford, CT 06902

Nancy Bianco

/in /by

Nancy Wallin Bianco, 92, a lifelong resident of Stamford, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family on Sunday, January 21, 2024. Nancy was born on January 27, 1931, in Stamford, CT, and was one of three children born to the late Ivar and Martha Ulrich Wallin.
Nancy enjoyed spending time with family and friends, hosting many gatherings at their home. She loved reading, traveling, and singing in her church choir for many years. Nancy was active in many organizations, such as the Springdale Silhouettes Drum & Bugle Corp., Stamford Square Dancing Club, First United Methodist Church Women’s Circle and Fellowship Club, and ice skating at Rye Playland. Nancy had worked for over 20 years at Pitney Bowes Credit Corporation.
Nancy was preceded in death by her husband of over 64 years in February of 2020, Theodore J. Bianco, Sr., and is survived by her sons Mark J. Bianco, and Theodore J. Bianco, Jr. both of Stamford, daughter Maryann Bianco Smith and her husband Marc Smith of Beacon Falls, CT, her cherished granddaughters, Alison Smith, Nicole Smith, and Caroline Smith, and her sister Sharon Kocay. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
In addition to her parents Nancy is predeceased by her brother Donald Wallin.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 27th at 11:00AM at the First United Methodist Church, 42 Cross Street, in Stamford. Interment will immediately follow the service at Lakeview Cemetery, New Canaan, CT.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Nancy Bianco’s memory to the First United Methodist Church at www.fumcstamford.org/giving/.
For online condolences please visit www.Cognetta.com

May Capone

/in /by

Leslie Yeomans

/in /by

Angiolina Coppola

/in /by

Angiolina Coppola, age 94, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on January 20, 2024. She was born on December 10, 1929, in San Mango Sul Calore, Italy to the late Angelo Coppola and Bianca Uva.

Angiolina was married to Gerardo Coppola for 55 years until his passing in 2004. Angiolina and Gerardo immigrated to the United States in 1967 and settled in Stamford, CT after a brief time in Rochester, NY. She quickly acclimated to her new country and entered the workforce; working at Electrolux and Pitney Bowes until her retirement.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by brothers Giovanni Coppola of Milan, Italy and Guiseppe Coppola of Porlamar, Venezuela.

She is survived by her three children, Salvatore Coppola and Angela Colucci of Cosenza, Italy, Anna Maria and Luigi Pellicci of Stamford, and Fernando Coppola and Rosie of Naugatuck as well as her brother Salvatore Coppola and his wife Rosetta of Wolverhampton, England. She is also survived by her seven grandchildren Michela, Gerardo, Antonio, Angela, Adrienne, Angelica, and Alexis, and six great-grandchildren who all lovingly called her Nonna, a name that she took great pride in. And many nieces and nephews around the world.

She was a longtime parishioner of Sacred Heart Church and most recently a parishioner at the Church of St. Cecilia-St. Gabriel in Stamford. She was devoted to San Teodoro, the patron saint of San Mango Sul Calore. And whenever in Italy, she made pilgrimages to visit the Madonna di Montevergine. She practiced her faith by regularly attending Mass, praying at home, and recently watching daily mass on TV. Lina enjoyed sewing, cooking, sharing special occasions with family, and especially talking to friends and relatives on the phone.

Visitation at the Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory, located at 104 Myrtle Avenue in Stamford will be held on Wednesday January 24th from 4pm-8pm.

A funeral procession will leave the funeral home on Thursday, January 25th at 10:00 am for a mass of Christian burial at 10:30 am at the Church of St. Cecilia, located at 1184 Newfield Avenue in Stamford, CT. Burial will follow mass at St. John Cemetery in Darien.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations in her name be made to The Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Inc., 461 Glenbrook Road, Stamford, CT 06906 or online at www.foodbanklfc.org.

To leave notes of condolence for the family please visit www.cognetta.com.

Christos Aloupis

/in /by

Christos V. Aloupis passed away on January 17, 2024, at the age of 90, with his daughters by his side.

He was the second of four children born to the late Vasilios and Maria (Roumeliotis) Aloupis, on January 26, 1933, in Georgitsi, Greece. As a young man, he moved to the port city of Piraeus, where he honed his cooking and food service skills, and generally had a blast. After his military service, he worked on cruise ships, taking him to various ports of call all over the world. He immigrated to the United States in the 1960s and began working at Grade A Market as a butcher. Soon after, he met the love of his life, Helen Bakes, and they were married in 1969. They became parents to two girls, and enjoyed 50 precious years together until Helen’s passing in 2020.

For a time, Christos and his brothers had a store on East Main Street called Olympic Gift Shop, and later, he briefly ran his own grocery store, Fairlawn Food Center, with a partner. He eventually returned to Grade A until his retirement. He always took great pride in his work.

Christos loved cooking for his family and friends, especially on Christmas and Easter, barbecuing out on the deck, cheering on the Olympiakos soccer team, and relaxing with family in his beloved Georgitsi. One of his greatest joys was gardening – he could (and did) turn any patch of soil into a lush and colorful oasis, and he loved showing off and giving away the vegetables he so lovingly cultivated. For years he was a member of the Greek American Athletic Association (“the club”), where he served as manager and cook, and he could always be found in any of several doughnut establishments around town, enjoying coffee and conversation with friends. He had a kind and generous heart, a goofy sense of humor, and always strove to make people happy. He will be deeply, deeply missed.

He is survived by his daughters, Maria Aloupis and Debbie Aloupis, and son-in-law Carter Sherwood, of Stamford; brother Zacharias Aloupis (Magdalini) of Stamford, and sister Panagiota Bratsini of Greece; brothers-in-law George (Joan) Bakes of Bridgeport, Mike Bakis of Atlanta, GA, and sister-in-law Jayne Bakis of Little River, SC. He was predeceased by his beloved wife Helen Aloupis; brother Costas Aloupis; brothers-in-law Panagiotis Bratsinis, John Bakes, Tom Bakis, and Ted Bakis; and sisters-in-law Helen Aloupis and Rebecca Bakes. He leaves behind a huge family of nieces, nephews and cousins in the US, Greece, Canada and Germany.

A viewing will take place on Monday, January 22, from 4 pm to 7 pm at The Church of the Archangels, 1527 Bedford Street, Stamford, CT 06905. A funeral service will be held at the church on Tuesday, January 23, at 11 am. Interment will follow at Fairfield Memorial Park in Stamford.

The family requests that memorial donations be made in Christos’ name to The Archangels Ladies Philoptochos.

Lee Rotunno

/in /by

Lee Rotunno, 93, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones on January 17, 2024. She was a resident of Norwalk for the past 25 years; prior to that she was a long-time resident of Stamford. She was born on November 1, 1930, in Stamford, CT. Lee is survived by her loving family and will be dearly missed.
Lee was the daughter of the late Frank and Concetta Cairo. She was predeceased by her daughter, Sharon Kluchnick of Milford, CT, her three brothers: Louis, Victor, and Martin, and her sister, Beatrice (Betty) Lea.
Lee is survived by her husband George of 73 years, her three beloved daughters: Linda Wieland (Carl) of Norwalk, Roberta DeCicco (Stephen) of Norwalk, and Maria McMorris (David) of Trumbull, and her son-in-law Peter Kluchnick of Milford, CT. She will be especially missed by eight grandchildren: Peter John Kluchnick (Jennifer), Michael Kluchnick, Kathryn Cedor (Jason), Carly Hanson (Robert), Lindsey Kugler (Mark), Kevin DeCicco, Caitlin McMorris and Annie McMorris, and six great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Family was the centerpiece of Lee’s life. She loved dedicating her time, talent, and treasure to her family members. She thoroughly enjoyed being a homemaker and entertaining all who entered her home. She welcomed everyone with a cup of coffee or tea, and a smile. She will be remembered for her remarkable generosity, attentiveness to others, humorous wit, and immense love for others.
Her family would like to extend a special thanks to her caregivers: Colin, Akua and Joyce, for their extraordinary care, companionship, and kindness. In addition, her family would also like to express a special thank you to Dr. Antonios Katsigiannis and his staff for exceptional care and family support.

Family and friends are invited to gather in remembrance at Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford, CT, on Sunday January 21, 2024 from 2:00 to 5:00 PM.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, January 22, 2024 at 10:30 AM at St. Matthew Church, 216 Scribner Avenue, Norwalk, CT. A Christian burial will follow at St. John Cemetery, 223 Richards Avenue, Norwalk, CT.
To leave online condolences, please visit www.cognetta.com

Michael LaMonica

/in /by

Michael Stephen LaMonica, age 68, a cherished member of the Stamford community and respected chiropractor, passed away peacefully on January 8, 2024, in Stamford, CT with his family by his side. Born on April 19, 1955, in Bronx, NY, he was the second of four children to the late Bart and Dorothy (Herkomer) LaMonica.

Michael, a devoted Husband, Father, and Pop-Pop, is survived by his beloved wife of 45 years, Carmela LaMonica. His legacy continues through his children, Michael (Mylene) LaMonica, and Brian (Audra) LaMonica and his adored grandchildren, Louis- Étienne, Siena, and Ava. He is also remembered by his siblings Pat (Jack) George, Susan LaMonica, and John LaMonica, as well as by his cherished nieces and nephews.

A graduate of Manhattan College and New York Chiropractic College, Michael dedicated over 40 years to his profession, serving the Stamford community with compassion and expertise.

Michael was a lifelong New York Yankees fan having grown up in Pelham Bay, known for his “enthusiastic” discussions about the team’s pitching staff, trade options, and farm system. His love of sports extended into his community involvement, where he cherished coaching his sons’ baseball and basketball teams, imparting not just skills but life lessons to them and their friends.

Above all, Michael was a family man, always putting his responsibilities as a husband and father first. His devotion to his family was evident in every aspect of his life, creating a legacy of love that will be deeply missed.

Family and friends are invited to gather in remembrance at Cognetta Funeral Home, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford, CT, on Friday, January 19th, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. A memorial mass will be held on Saturday, January 20th, at 10:30 am at St. Leo’s Parish, 24 Roxbury Road, Stamford, CT. The interment will be held privately.

Michael’s life was a testament to the enduring power of love, family, and community. He will be profoundly missed by all who knew him.