Obituary of Frank Tassistro

Frank Eugene Tassistro left this life on Earth on January 6, 2015 for the eternal rest in death. He was born to Frank and Josephine Tassistro on June 1, 1929 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was, through his mother, a direct descendent to Richard Risley. Risley was one of the original settlers of the colony of Connecticut with Thomas Hooker in 1636. Frank graduated from Bulkeley High School class of 1947. He enlisted in the regular Army in September 1948, Airborne unassigned. He completed basic training at Fort Dix, NJ with the 34th field atty. 9th inf. Div. and Airborne School at Fort Benning, GA in February 1949. He transferred to the 29th RCT forming on the island of Okinawa in March 1949. He served with that unit in Korea. Frank was active in baseball and basketball in his youth. Frank joined the Hartford Fire Department on January 14, 1957. He was promoted over the years to pump operator, Lieutenant, Captain, and to Deputy Chief. He retired on January 14, 1984. Frank was the creator of the medal awards ceremony and the criteria to honor those Firefighters for heroic and courage acts. He designed the medal for Local 760 and later the medal for the Hartford Fire Department. He had that medal cast at the Blackington Co.in MA. He established the three categories for the awards as well as the Unit citations. He regretted, in later years, that some of the awards were cheapened by the politics of the times. At the first meeting with the newly appointed Chief of the Department, John Stewart, he suggested to the new chief that one of the first orders of business was to get the two way radios into the hands of the company officers, and this was done. He worked for Ambassador Limo for seven years as an executive chauffeur. He was a volunteer tour guide at the L.O.B. and the State Capitol for the League of Women Voters for five years which he enjoyed very much. Frank was a member of the Hartford Civil War Roundtable for a number of years. In later years, he was a volunteer aircraft restorer at Bradley Field in Windsor Locks, CT. Frank was a well-known artist of landscapes using acrylics as a medium. His works were displayed through central Connecticut. The highlight of his artistic career was a showing of his paintings at the Bushnell Promenade in 1997, where his works were well received. Frank had great interest in law, medicine, history, and art and said to have read thousands of books on every subject that interested him. Frank was a member of the following organizations: Sons of the American Revolution, The Founders and Patriots of America, Connecticut Historical Society of Genealogists, The Risley Family Assoc., Connecticut Fire Instructors, the NRA, the 29th Inf. Association, a life member of the National Infantry Association, the American Legion, and the Police and Fire Association. He was also a member of the Rockville Fish and Game Club, shooting bull-eye and plate competition and long range rifle. His wife Judy, his best and closest friend, whom he loved dearly, survives Frank. She was his close companion in his daily life and their travels and odysseys together were the joy of his life. Frank hopes to be silently with her as she sees some lovely scene and enjoys with her, the pleasure of that sight. It meant so much to him, in life, to be with her and of her support of him in all his endeavors, good and not so good. His surviving children are Katharine and her husband Francis Gagnon, Elizabeth and her husband Edward Welch, Frank and his wife Jane, Margaret and her husband Eric Malmborg, stepdaughter Jennifer Black and stepson Thomas Lyle. There are nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He also leaves his very close and dearest friend, Terri Antonini, who has known him for over 40 years. Frank wanted to be remembered as a father and friend, and most of all, as a man who dearly loved life. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2015 at 10:00a.m. in Mulryan Funeral Home, 725 Hebron Ave., Glastonbury. Burial will follow at Green Cemetery. Friends and family may call at Mulryan Funeral Home on Friday, January 9 from 4pm to 6pm For online condolences please visit www.mulryanfh.com.