Claire Emma Bonafonte LaPila
1934 - 2011
Claire Emma (Bonafonte) LaPila, 78, of Cromwell, beloved wife of Anthony "Babe" LaPila for 56 years, passed away on Friday, Dec. 30, at Middlesex Hospital.
Born in East Berlin, she was the daughter of the late Benjamin and Hazel (Waite) Bonafonte and moved with her family to Cromwell as an infant.
A lifelong resident of Cromwell, Claire attended Cromwell grade schools, graduated Middletown High School and then married Babe and they raised their family in town. While raising their children, they spent most weekends camping and in later years she and Babe enjoyed traveling. Claire loved to cook, play cards, read, work crossword puzzles and casino trips, but her greatest joy came from spending time with her family. She was a member of St. John's R.C. Church and the Adoration Society and worked as Administrative Assistant in the Cinema Archives Department of Wesleyan University retiring in 1995.
Besides her husband, Claire is survived by three sons, Peter of Cromwell, Michael and his wife, Michele of Moodus and James and his wife, Shannon of Portland; her son-in-law, Ron Basiel; two granddaughters, Becky and Abby; seven grandsons, Alex, Luke, Kyle, Matthew, Ryan, Anthony, and Louis; her great granddaughter, Sophia; two brothers, Benjamin Bonafonte and his wife, Amber of FL and Peter Bonafonte and his wife, Terry of NY; two sisters, Virginia Dunham and Joan Bradbury, both of Cromwell as well as many nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.
Along with her parents, she was predeceased by her daughter, Debra and grandson, Shane, both dearly loved and greatly missed and sadly passing in the spring 2010, both her brothers-in-law, Walter Dunham and Bertrand Bradbury.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, Jan. 5, at 9 a.m. from the Cromwell Funeral Home, 506 Main St., Cromwell, followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 10 a.m. at St. John Church, 5 St. John Court, Cromwell. Interment will follow in St. Sebastian Cemetery in Middlefield.
Friends and family may call on Wednesday at the Cromwell Funeral Home from 5 to 7 p.m. and in lieu of flowers may make donations in Claire's memory to Cromwell Ambulance Association, P.O. Box 269, Cromwell, CT 06416. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family at www.doolittlefuneralservice.com.
The Middletown Press on January 2, 2012