George Gulielmetti
Posted Monday, January 18, 2010 - 9:10am
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George Gulielmetti, 97, of Mica Hill Road, Durham passed away on Jan, 13, 2010. Born on Oct. 23, 1912 in New York City, George moved to Durham with his parents in 1919 where he grew up on the family farm and attended Durham schools.
As a child and young man he trapped and hunted before walking (uphill, both ways) to the one room school house on Sand Hill Road, cared for and milked the cows and worked the fields and woods with teams of horses. His two favorite horses were Molly and Kitty, two ice-wagon horses who came from Middletown by barge from New York City. He and his brother Phil used delivered firewood by horse-pulled wagon to the Salvation Army in Middletown one frigid Christmas Eve and ate an entire frozen pumpkin pie on the way home.
In 1938 George went to work at United Aircraft and in 1950 joined the Farm Production Credit System and Federal Land Bank, serving as office manager until his retirement in 1978. Given George's own agricultural experience and his empathy for the special needs and hard work of farmers, many farmers in Connecticut attributed their success to George's advocacy. He was also active in town affairs, serving as chairman of the Durham Planning Commission, chairman of the Board of Finance, Board of Tax Review and other boards and commissions. He was chairman of the Regional 13 Memorial School building committee and a member of the Brewster School building committee.
George was the son of the late Francesco and Angela (Agogliati) Gulielmetti, who immigrated to the United States at the turn of the last century. Throughout his life, he remained close to his Italian roots through visits to Salsominore, his mother's village and contact with cousins and extended family.
He was predeceased by his wife of 46 years, Bernice (Lee) Gulielmetti in 2008, his brother, Philip (and wife Anna) of Portland, his sister, Teresa (and Gus) Bidwell of Middletown and two nephews, Paul Gulielmetti and Roger Stevens. He is survived by his daughter Angela Gulielmetti and her partner, Randy McLean, Portland Maine, two stepdaughters, Linda Lee Healy of Middletown, Jackie Nelson and her husband Bill of Durham, two grandchildren, Joshua Nelson and his wife Mindy of Hamden, Sara Nelson Hartley and her husband Brian of Wethersfield, sisters Mary G. Dimella and her husband Doug of Durham, and Jane Stevens of King of Prussia, PA in addition to many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be made to the Middlesex Land Trust, 27 Washington St., Middletown, CT 06457. Given George's love of the land, helping to preserve the farmlands and woodlands of Middlesex County seems like the most fitting tribute to his years of life in the outdoors. Services will be held at the United Churches of Durham, 228 Main St., Durham at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 20. A burial at the Mica Hill Cemetery will follow. There are no calling hours. Biega Funeral Home has care of the arrangements.
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