Angelo James Veno, 93, Died; Veteran, Longtime Saugatuck Resident, Compo Beach Staple
Angelo James Veno, known by many as Cookup, passed away peacefully on December 1, 2021 after a long and happy life. He was Born on April 15, 1928 in Saugatuck, CT to Louis and Mary Veno. He went through the Westport public school system. After school each day, Angelo would head to the local bowling alley where he would work to manually re-set the pins for the next group of bowlers.
Once in High School at Staples he was named a three-sport star in playing football, baseball and basketball. After graduating from High School in 1946 he played semi-pro football with the Westport Advertisers and basketball with the Saugatuck Veterans, Westport YMCA and Clam Box Five. Angelo also took up boxing and had a brief pro career which saw him post a 12-2 record. In 1986 he was named a recipient of the "Sportsman of Westport" award.
In 1951 he went to serve his country by joining the U.S. Navy where he served for four years on the Ship U.S.S Howard D. CROW as an Engineer. He became a member of the fleet's boxing team and out of 16 fights he lost only one. Following his service days, he came home to Westport and helped coach the Westport PAL football team. Shortly thereafter he married his first wife Judith Lissberger. They had 2 children, Timothy and Belinda. Both his children have great memories of their childhood and the many times they traveled with their Dad to the NY Giants exhibition games in Pittsburgh and then returning home to go straight to the The Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy for dinner. Angelo later married Theresa Karutz in 1984, a former Miss Atlantic City winner and enjoyed spending time with his two stepsons, Wallace and William Karutz.
Angelo had a long and successful career in the world of construction as President & CEO of his own company, AJ VENO Construction. A business that he started as a window replacement company and grew into a full-fledged construction company where he built both Corporate buildings and Residential homes for a number of years.
On a personal level, Angelo made friends and made people laugh wherever he laid is hat, whether the local Pizza restaurant or with nurses caring for him. In fact, one person said he remembers him as "the big guy that was always funny." He adored his family and friends. He loved spending time at Compo Beach either with friends or on his own just to feed the birds.
Angelo is survived by his brother Joe Veno and sister Theresa and her husband Richard Valentine. He was predeceased by his sister, Ida Lockwood. He is also survived by his two children, Timothy Veno and his partner Gwen Purcell and Belinda and her husband Richard Benincasa. And his three grandchildren, Richard and his wife Nora Benincasa, Ryan and his wife Noelle Benincasa and Morgan Benincasa as well as multiple cousins, nieces and nephews. And most recently, his first great-grandchild, Ryan Casey Benincasa.
Friends are invited to attend a funeral on Monday, December 13, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. meeting directly at Assumption Church, 98 Riverside Ave., Westport, CT for a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment with full Military Honors will follow in Assumption Cemetery, 73 Greens Farms Road, Westport, CT. The family will receive friends in the Harding Funeral Home, 210 Post Rd. E., Westport, CT on Sunday December 12, 2021 from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. Condolences in memory of Angelo may be left online at www.hardingfuneral.com