Harry W. Fracasso, 83, of Alum Hill Road, Clayton, known as the Happy Acre Ranch, died Tuesday, June 19, 2019. He was born May 21, 1936, to Violet Rondoe of Lee and Harry Lewis Fracasso of Winsted, Connecticut, in Winsted. In 1954, Harry enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he was in the Air-Sea Rescue during the Korean War conflict until his honorable discharge in 1957. While working for Ness Security at Becton Dickinson in Canaan, Connecticut, in 1983, Harry met and then married the love of his life, Marilyn A. (McKeown) Fedell April 14, 1984.
Harry worked for Simscroft-Echo Farms in Simsbury, Connecticut, for several years, then worked closer to home at Pete’s Sales and Service in Sheffield until his retirement in 1998. Harry loved mowing lawns and kept the homefront neat as a pin. He also mowed approximately 17 acres of lawn for his brother-in-law John Roller of New Hartford, Connecticut. In 2004, Harry surprised Marilyn with a horse (then, through osmosis, one became two). He loved doing barn and yard chores while the horses were boarded at home. He also loved sitting on the couch with his two dogs, Ellie and Jessie, and Rusty the cat and watching TV.
He is survived by his wife of over 35 years, Marilyn A. Fracasso; her only child/son, Robert P. Fedell ll and wife Tess and three granddaughters, Emelia, Honora and Siobhan of Sandisfield; brother-in-law Michael McKeown, niece Lauren of Florida and nephew Michael Jr. of Manorville, New York; and sister-in-law Susan Brandon, husband Dennis and nephew John A. Deem of Weeke Wachi, Florida. He also leaves two sons, Harry W. Fracasso Jr. and wife Emelia of Torrington, Connecticut, and Kenneth Fracasso of Bakersville, Connecticut; daugter Susan Young and husband Steven; Wendy and Jim Belanger with whom he shared his home for 20 years, now of Beverly Hills, Florida; extended family members Dale and Dennis Meeker of Bantam, Connecticut, John and Jennifer Roller of New Hartford, Connecticut, and Michael and Melissa Roller of Stockbridge; the daughters he wished he had: Gabriella Shook of Ashley Falls, Anica Pond of Great Barrington and Mae Whaley of Housatonic; and several nieces and nephews. And let’s not forget the many cousins (the Keenan Clan) from Ashtabula, Ohio.
He was predeceased by brother Arthur Fracasso in January 1990; son Thomas Fracasso in June 1990; sister Patricia Cornelio of Buffalo, New York, in July 2012; brother-in-law William C. Roller in April 2013 and Dennis P. Meeker in December 2018.
The family will receive friends Tuesday, June 25, from 4 to 7 p.m. at FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME in Great Barrington. The funeral service will be held Wednesday, June 26, at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with burial to follow at the Lee Memorial Cemetery on Norfolk Road (aka Route 272) in Southfield. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Berkshire Humane Society or to the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association in care of FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, Ma 01230, which is in charge of the arrangements. To send remembrance to the family, go to www.finnertyandstevens.com.
