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Gabriel Middle, and Stamford Catholic High Schools. Having spent his childhood living over the funeral home and working with his father, it was only natural that he would follow in his father’s footsteps.
After graduating from Stamford Catholic High School, he attended the University of Connecticut and graduated from the American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service. He has been with Cognetta Funeral Home since 1979 having become a licensed funeral director and embalmer in 1981.
He was an instrumental in creating the Connecticut Crematory Corporation, which is located within Cognetta Funeral Home and is the only crematory in Fairfield County, opening in 1995.
Partnering with Thomas A. Cicalese, owner of Hoyt Funeral Home in New Canaan, they bought Raymond Funeral Home in 2000 (now recognized as Hoyt Cognetta Funeral Home).
He then began All Pets Crematory & Remembrances in Stamford in 2003, which is the only pet crematory in Fairfield County and beyond.
Nicholas is a member of the NFDA, CFDA, and CANA, as well as a board member of the Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care of Southwestern CT, Inc. He also volunteers his time to local charities and at New Canaan High School where he mentors the Future Business Leaders Class.
John S. Lesko
Managing Director
John S. Lesko, former owner of the Lesko Funeral Home in Fairfield and a fifth generation funeral director. John had been an associate director for Hoyt Funeral Home in New Canaan when he was asked to step into the Managing Director position here at Hoyt-Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory.
Born in Bridgeport, John grew up in Black Rock and enjoyed Sailing and fishing on Long Island Sound. He went to Fairfield College Prep and then graduated from New England
Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences (Mt. Ida College) in Boston, Mass.
His family started their funeral business in 1909 in the West End of Bridgeport. It evolved from a Livery business were his great-great grandfather provided the carriages for the local funeral parlor. The Hungarian neighborhood encouraged him, which lead to opening his own funeral home and it was passed father to son for generations.
John is the past President of the Fairfield Kiwanis. During his tenure, enough money was raised to build the Sand Castle play ground at Fairfield beach and purchase a van for the Fairfield YMCA. He also served on the Advisory Board for the Dioceses of Bridgeport Special Education. John is a 3rd Degree member of the Knights of Columbus at Fr. Coleman Council. He has always been involved in the community and was elected two terms on the Monroe Town Council where he had been the liaison
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