Roy Gruner, Jr.
October 22, 1980 — June 10, 2016
Roy J. Gruner Jr, 35, passed away around 1:30 AM, Friday, June 10, 2016, from injuries sustained in a one vehicle accident on Route 8 in Waterbury, Connecticut.
Roy was born October 22, 1980, in Stamford Connecticut, where he lived for most of his life before having a family and moving to Beacon Falls, Connecticut. He ran his own business, New England Pools, which he has owned for 13 years.
Roy enjoyed any and all things involving his family. He was constantly going out of his way to do things for everyone around him while expecting nothing but happiness from his loved ones in return. His hobbies included fishing with his boys, taking his daughter on wagon walks down the street, and listening to Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra music while enjoying a Marlboro Red with his wife Melissa. Since Roy was a kid he was blessed with an old soul, filled with love, loyalty and a rare sense of humor. He had been working on his project car, an 87 SS Monte Carlo, which he was so passionate about working on and giving to his first son Roy J. Gruner III. One of his best memories was during a fishing trip in Montauk, Long Island, with his father Roy and brother Anthony. Using his strength and intense fishing skills, he was able catch a 220lb thresher shark. The smile on his face that day was so genuine and big, he couldn't stop bragging.
He was a long time worker of the Piedmont club in Norwalk, Connecticut, where he met his wife and her Grandma. Roy was so loved and respected by everyone there, he quickly became a part of the family. Roy was obsessed with collecting old photographs for his "man cave" room which is covered in memories, boats, model cars, and childhood toys. He was so sentimental and emotionally attached to everything around him. Before having children to build tree houses for, and put together engines and bikes with; he had a hobby of making wooden model boats from scratch like his Grandpa Gruner did. He was constantly finding something productive to do and sharing it with the world.
He is survived by his wife Melissa Gruner, their three children, Roy J. Gruner III (11), Jason Gruner (9) and Phyllis Gruner (4), his father and mother, Roy and Terri Gruner of Stamford,his younger brother, Anthony Gruner and his wife Kristen and their daughter Monroe, younger sister Dana Gruner and her fiancé Marc Orgera, grandparents, Ann and Ernie Mammone of Torrington as well as aunts, uncles, very close cousins. Also surviving are in-laws Vinnie DeFlorio, Fran Geitz, Donna Dutlinger, Danielle Dutlinger and her fiancé Eric Begey and daughters Ariana and Giana, Leanne and Layne Dutlinger.
Roy was predeceased by his grandparents John George Gruner Jr and Philomena Gruner, Uncle John George Gruner III, and Uncle Anthony (Tony) Mammone, and his loving grandfather in law Robert W. Geitz.
A Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10:30 AM at St. Matthew Church, 216 Scribner Avenue, Norwalk. Interment will follow at St. John’s RC Cemetery, Darien. Family and friends may call at the Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford, CT on Wednesday, June 15, 2016 from 4:00-8:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Melissa Gruner and her three children via their GoFundMe account or directly to them, whichever is easiest.
To leave online condolences, please visit www.cognetta.com
Roy was born October 22, 1980, in Stamford Connecticut, where he lived for most of his life before having a family and moving to Beacon Falls, Connecticut. He ran his own business, New England Pools, which he has owned for 13 years.
Roy enjoyed any and all things involving his family. He was constantly going out of his way to do things for everyone around him while expecting nothing but happiness from his loved ones in return. His hobbies included fishing with his boys, taking his daughter on wagon walks down the street, and listening to Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra music while enjoying a Marlboro Red with his wife Melissa. Since Roy was a kid he was blessed with an old soul, filled with love, loyalty and a rare sense of humor. He had been working on his project car, an 87 SS Monte Carlo, which he was so passionate about working on and giving to his first son Roy J. Gruner III. One of his best memories was during a fishing trip in Montauk, Long Island, with his father Roy and brother Anthony. Using his strength and intense fishing skills, he was able catch a 220lb thresher shark. The smile on his face that day was so genuine and big, he couldn't stop bragging.
He was a long time worker of the Piedmont club in Norwalk, Connecticut, where he met his wife and her Grandma. Roy was so loved and respected by everyone there, he quickly became a part of the family. Roy was obsessed with collecting old photographs for his "man cave" room which is covered in memories, boats, model cars, and childhood toys. He was so sentimental and emotionally attached to everything around him. Before having children to build tree houses for, and put together engines and bikes with; he had a hobby of making wooden model boats from scratch like his Grandpa Gruner did. He was constantly finding something productive to do and sharing it with the world.
He is survived by his wife Melissa Gruner, their three children, Roy J. Gruner III (11), Jason Gruner (9) and Phyllis Gruner (4), his father and mother, Roy and Terri Gruner of Stamford,his younger brother, Anthony Gruner and his wife Kristen and their daughter Monroe, younger sister Dana Gruner and her fiancé Marc Orgera, grandparents, Ann and Ernie Mammone of Torrington as well as aunts, uncles, very close cousins. Also surviving are in-laws Vinnie DeFlorio, Fran Geitz, Donna Dutlinger, Danielle Dutlinger and her fiancé Eric Begey and daughters Ariana and Giana, Leanne and Layne Dutlinger.
Roy was predeceased by his grandparents John George Gruner Jr and Philomena Gruner, Uncle John George Gruner III, and Uncle Anthony (Tony) Mammone, and his loving grandfather in law Robert W. Geitz.
A Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10:30 AM at St. Matthew Church, 216 Scribner Avenue, Norwalk. Interment will follow at St. John’s RC Cemetery, Darien. Family and friends may call at the Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford, CT on Wednesday, June 15, 2016 from 4:00-8:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Melissa Gruner and her three children via their GoFundMe account or directly to them, whichever is easiest.
To leave online condolences, please visit www.cognetta.com
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