Daniel R. Franchi of Wethersfield died on September 4, 2014. Born in Worcester, MA on December 23, 1921. He was the son of the late Domenic & Maria Logudice Franchi. He moved to Hartford in 1928 and has been a resident of Wethersfield since 1955. He was a graduate of Weaver High School, class of 1940, graduated Officer Candidate School and served in the Air Force as a Bombardier Navigator during WWII. He retired from the Air Force Reserves with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was active in Scouting, Troop #31 Hartford, and as Scout Master in Wethersfield Troop #150. He was a long time member of the Holy Family Retreat League of St. Patrick & St. Anthony's Church. He was a charter member of the Church of Incarnation in Wethersfield where he served as a collector at Sunday Mass. He was a self-employed paperhanger for some 40 years before retiring in 1992. He enjoyed golfing, bowling, and playing gin rummy with Tom Barber.
He was predeceased by his first wife, Mary Jane (Toscano) Franchi in 1972, by brothers Rocco & Phillip, by sisters Rose Rak, Mary Cline, Angelia Crocecchia, Lucy Franchi & Annette Diulio. He leaves his wife of 33 years, Veronica Padagemis Franchi, three Sons, Daniel & his wife Gail of Hamden, Gary of Wethersfield, and Chris & his wife Paula of Tulsa, OK., three Grandchildren, Blake and his wife Laura of Stamford, Christopher & Renee of Tulsa, OK, a Great Grandson, Braden Franchi, and a nephew Rick Uliano of Hamden. He also leaves three stepchildren, Tony Barber & wife Roseanne of Guilford, Kathy Strout of Rocky Hill, and Harry Barber of Hartford.
The funeral will be Monday, September 8, 2014, 9:15a.m. from the Dillon-Baxter Funeral Home, 1276 Berlin Tpke., Wethersfield, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial, 10:00 a.m. in Church of the Incarnation, 544 Prospect St., Wethersfield. Burial with full military honors will be in Mt. St. Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield. Friends may call at the funeral home Sunday, from 3 to 6 p.m. Contributions in his memory may be made to: Wounded Warriors Project, 4899 Belfort Rd. Suite 300, Jacksonville, FL 32256. To share a memory with the family please visit www.dillonbaxter.com.