Louis A. Gentile

IN MEMORY OF LOUIS A. GENTILE By long-time friend and colleague Rudy DAngelo The City of New Britain has lost a truly unique and gifted individual January 18th who literally spent his adult life serving the Hardware City and its citizens, its voters, and city government. This obituary and tribute cannot possibly capture the scope of this mans love and service to this city. As an old friend and student of this highly intelligent man, this writer can only hope to enlighten those who never had the good fortune to get to know Mr. Gentile or have had the honor of becoming his friend. To Louis A. Gentile, the word friend meant something that has, unfortunately, been lost in todays fast-paced, selfish, self-centered society. Allow me then, to begin with the highlights of this mans achievements, knowing full well that I could fail to list all his endless personal service to his many friends and even acquaintances in the little great State of Connecticut. Mr. Gentile was born in Manhattan, New York, on March 25, 1926. He was the son of the late Louis Gentile and Angela Maria DAorta. His family came from the island of Ischia in the bay of Naples, Italy. He was one of two sons, his brother Alphonse, predeceased him several years ago. Mr. Gentile also has a half-sister, Carol Gentile, an attorney in New York City. When he was 11 years old, the family moved to Wallingford, CT. Here Louis and his brother went to local schools. Louis was attending Lyman Hall High School when World War II broke out. Louis wasted no time in making a decision - a trait that he retained and honed well into adulthood. He quit high school and joined the U.S. Marines. His brother had done the same years before. Louis served in the South Pacific and also in China, with the 6th Marine Division. He returned to civilian life in 1946 after three years of service. But the term always a Marine and Semper Fi were ingrained into Louiss being and he continued to serve the Corps for the remainder of his life in the many military associations, Marine League and organizations, always giving his attention and service to the Corps which he loved and served without hesitation or reservation. In an ironic family twist, Louiss uncle, Domenico DAorta, his mothers brother, had served in the Italian Royal Marines, and he, too, was sent to China during the Boxer Rebellion, earning several medals for bravery, and he, too, continued to serve his country in the Royal Italian Marines as a career. Back in civilian life, Louis attended night school, received his GED and was admitted to Cheshire Academy, from which he graduated in 1949 and then on to UCONN, where he obtained his BA in 1953 in political science and philosophy. Philosophy became part of the human condition in which Louis soon became an expert, both from within and without. He then went on to UCONNs Law School, from 1953-54, but had to leave because of his mothers illness and where he assumed the role of her caretaker. In the meantime, he obtained his Private Detectives license in 1951 and opened two offices, one in Wallingford and one in New Britain. Louis A. Gentile would the first to admit he was a student his entire life, for he was a great believer in education. He returned to education at the Central Conn. State College receiving his Masters in U.S. History in 1979 at the age of 56. His intelligence, his verbal skills and his methodology in clearly and painstakingly explaining any subject at hand is so vast that he has often been called upon to stand-in for his Professor at CCSC, now CCSU. By this time, he met and fell in love with Aurea Slater, a woman with whom he would share his life for the next 50 years. Together they opened an Answering Service in New Britain that today remains the talk of the town in the way they provided service and professionalism to the many professionals in the city. He continued to hone his skills as a private detective, handling a caseload that the average city detective would cringe away from, and he solved cases than others deemed an impossible task. By 1957, Louis, a registered Democrat, was appointed Deputy Registrar of Voters and it began an equally long career in politics and city government. Political leader Ed Karwoski handed Louis the distinction of actually being the first appointed Deputy Registrar, a position he was to hold for the next 26 years. As Mr. Gentile would often say in his lifetime of service, he wore many hats. Besides running the Gentile Detective Service and Deputy Registrar of Voters, he obtained a Real Estate Brokers License, which he held, successfully, until 1999. He became a State of CT Certified EMT in 1982 and maintained his service and association with the New Britain EMS services as a member of the board, and later its Treasurer, a position he has held for over 10 years. In 1980, he entered Civil Service with the city of New Britain as its Investigator for Workmans Compensation and later its Safety Director, a position he held until 1990 when he was tested and appointed Director of Veteran Services, a position he held until December 2005. Another lesser known but most important, especially in todays often uncertain world, Louis Gentile became the Chief Radiological Officer for the City of New Britain in 1983, including becoming the chief architect of the Citys evacuation plan, which is still in effect today. Louis gave many speeches and provided exhaustive information on this most important subject and many of his predictions on not being ready have come to fruition. As a Certified Radiological Monitor Instructor, Louis trained many people in this delicate and yet vital position. He is one of the few people that has been cleared by the Federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission to handle a radioactive source. Over the next 35 years, the many hats that Louis A. Gentile wore, with great pride, and resulting in numerous awards, certificates, and diplomas including: Department of the Army - Explosive Ordnance Reconnaissance Certificate, 1966 State of Connecticut, Workers Comp Commission, Seminars on Occupational Health and Safety Licensed & Bonded Private Detective with his own Investigative Agency Licensed & Bonded Real Estate Broker, State of Connecticut Justice of the Peace in New Britain, CT, for over 35 years Deputy Registrar Democrat City of New Britain, for over 25 years Chief Radiological Defense Officer, City of New Britain, for over 25 years Recipient of the New Britain Bar Association Distinguished Service Award, 1973 American Police Academy, Security Officers Training, 1971 Recognition & Appreciation Award, USMC Recruiting Station, Hartford, CT 1985 Second Award for the Same Hard Work and Dedication in 1988 US Army Mechanics Course of Instruction, 1945 Distinguished Service Award from Radio Station WDRC, Hartford, 1972 Volunteer in New Britain Civil Preparedness, for over 25 years. New Britain Emergency Medical Services, EMT Certified Technician, 1982 Board of Directors for the Same Organization and in which role he also expanded and developed the ambulance services as it presently remains - a testament to his dedication and work in the city of New Britain for the past 20 years. Certified by the American Red Cross to teach CPR. Certified by the American Heart Association as an Instructor of Blood Pressure Measurement Technique. Marine Corps League, Silver City Detachment, Meriden, CT Assistant Marine Corps Recruiter post World War II, receiving 2 awards for his work Appointed by NB Mayor to serve on North Central Connecticut EMS Council, 1985 Appointed by NB City Hall Chairman to NB City Hall Study Commission, 1986 US Air Force Certificate of Appreciation, 1996 Bachelor of Intensive Rehabilitation Services, Gaylord Hospital, 1991 Air Force Recruitment Award, 1990, 1992 and 1993 Recognition Award from the Polish Army Veterans 1993 Marine Corps League Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Service, 1993 Veteran Public Speaker Award, CCSC, 1997 USMC Silver Service Award, 1991 USMC Vice Commanders Citation, 1992, 1994, and 1995 Red Cross Extraordinary Person Award, 1991 Official Citation, State of Connecticut, Connecticut General Assembly, Service to Veterans 1997 Proclamation by City of New Britain Louis A. Gentile Day in 1997 Appointed Director of Veterans Services for City of New Britain, 1990 The list of awards and achievements never ends for Louis A. Gentile. But one important life passion defined Mr. Gentiles foresight, intelligence, persistence and tenacity to right a wrong was his landmark case of Gentile versus the entire insurance industry on No-Fault Insurance in 1972. He became the Chairman of the Citizens Committee of No-Fault Insurance and took his fight all the way to the CT Supreme Court, AND the U.S. Supreme Court. His tireless efforts raged on, even as he knew the fight was the good fight for the citizens of Connecticut and the hoax that the insurance companies were trying to inflict on them, and inflict it did. The Supreme Court declined to hear the lawsuit in 1976, but in 1993, some 20 years later, Mr. Gentiles astute foresight was vindicated when the No Fault Law was repealed. In Mr. Gentiles view, where insurance was to be the citizens benefactor, it actually became its adversary, and at the same time, the State got involved compelling the citizens to buy insurance by making it mandatory. Mr. Gentile felt it was unconscionable, and illegal, he proclaimed, for insurance companies exchanging immediate payments and thus forfeiting the right for the victim to recover damages for pain and suffering. Few law firms had this foresight, and Mr. Gentile was ready to carry the fight alone and for the most part, he did, seeing the fruits of his Masters Thesis Transition of a Tort, The History of No-Fault in Connecticut finally vindicated, as stated, 20 years later. As Mr. Gentile advanced in age, not even a heart attack and subsequent surgery and recovery was to get him to take a back seat. His time, which he had always given generously and selflessly to all the associations, organizations and his beloved Marines, then turned to funding, out of his own pocket and with no strings attached. He put his money up where he had put his time in, again, giving generously and selflessly, right to the end. These included the erection and inauguration of a historical monument to the Womens Contribution to the War Effort at the Home Front in World War II. As this was a Salute to Women, Mr. Gentile was acutely aware that this was the only group that was never recognized for all their contributions in the war effort, and it was then confirmed that this was the only monument of its kind in America - a true act of dedication on the part of Mr. Gentile to see it through and out of his own personal funds. He also made two donations of $ 5, 000 each to the New Britain EMS, and he provided this financial assistance in gratitude of the tremendous work the EMS do to save lives. He made another donation of $5, 000 to the New Britain Parks & Recreation Department for the Louis A. Gentile Family Fun Zone, and considerable donations to the Louis A. Gentile Youth Basketball Championships. He also donated $ 1, 000 each to the Senior Citizens Center and the Friendship Center to Feed the Homeless. All of these wonderful and personal contributions attest to Mr. Gentiles care for his fellow human beings and the betterment of Society. Mr. Gentile dedicated his entire adult life giving two very strong words that few people could even compete with: HIS TIME and HIS SERVICE. These two words defined this rare man among us mere mortals that leave him standing alone in his love, dedication and service to humanity and more importantly, to the City of New Britain, and the State of Connecticut. Our beloved State is that much poorer with this great loss and his USMC boots leave a void that will be forever difficult to fill. If there is a Marine Detachment up in the wild blue yonder, you can be sure it would have no better, no more dedicated leader that Louis A. Gentile. Mr. Gentile leaves his dearest first cousin, Lidia Sirabella, in Casamicciola, Ischia, Italy; his first cousin Andrea DAorta on Long Island, and several nieces and nephews in the State of New York and in Italy. Mr. Gentile also leaves his adopted family made up of his closest friends: Harold Geragosian, Tony Inferrara, Jack Iannotti, Rudy DAngelo, Mark Gentile, Greg Berry, Dr. Norton Mezvinsky, and their respective families. Semper Fi Louis. We all miss you. Funeral services are Monday 8:30 AM at Carlson Funeral Home, 45 Franklin Square, New Britain followed by a Mass of Christian Burial 9:30 AM at St. Anns Church, North Street, New Britain. Burial with full military honors will be at St. Mary Cemetery Mausoleum. Calling hours are Sunday 4 to 8 PM at Carlson Funeral Home. Memorial donations in Lous Memory may be made to New Britain EMS, 225 Arch Street, New Britain, CT 06051 or to the CCSU Foundation, 1615 Stanley Street, New Britain, CT 06050. Please share a memory of Lou by clicking on "GUESTBOOK" at the bottom of the page.

Louis A. Gentile

March 25, 1926 - January 18, 2006

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Louis A. Gentile

March 25, 1926 - January 18, 2006

365 Days of Grief Support

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