Page 4 - East Haven Memorial Funeral Home

East Haven Memorial Funeral Home was founded by Salvatore Longobardi. In 1939, Sal packed up and moved his expecting wife Angelina Perrelli Longobardi a small town of just about Nine Thousand. He previously worked in the family business, Longobardi Funeral Home with his brother and father on Chapel St., New Haven. He moved to East Haven for a new beginning both professionally and personally. Sal made an immediate effort to become a contributing member to his new community.
He was a charter member of the Amerigo Club, which was made up of first and second generation Italian Americans living in East Haven. He was also instrumental in the formation of the Knights of Columbus, Father Regan Council and the Exchange Club. He would also become a member of the Democratic Town Committee and in 1954 he was elected to the position of Tax Collector, a post he held for fourteen years. In 1969 he made an unsuccessful bid for Mayor, however, he remained active in politics until illness forced his retirement from both politics and the business in 1983. Sadly, Sal passed away in 1989 but left the business in the very capable hands of his only daughter Josephine Longobardi Brennan.
Josephine or JoAnn to many of her friends would take the blueprint that her father gave her and continue to grow this family business for the next 25 years, until her retirement in 2010. JoAnn was also very active in town. She was one of the people who organized and ran a carnival for St. Vincent dePaul Church. She was a member of the East Haven Democratic Women’s Club and a President for both the New Haven Funeral Directors Association and the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association.
In 1985, JoAnn’s oldest son David would graduate from Embalming School and head home to help his mother run the business. In 1990, David’s younger brother Jim would also graduate and join the two of them to round out the family staff. In spring of 2013, Jim would go on to pursue other opportunities, leaving David as the Sole Owner and Director of the Funeral Home. Present day, this business is in the hands of fourth generation funeral director, David Salvatore Brennan and is not only the oldest funeral home, it is one of the oldest businesses still operating in East Haven.
OUR HISTORY
EAST HAVEN MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME
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