NATICK: Louis A. Annecchino III, age 75, a Natick resident and retired Fairfield, CT music teacher, passed peacefully with his sons at his side on Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at Brigham & Women’s Hospital.
Born, raised and educated in Natick, he was the son of the late Catherine (D’Onofrio) and the late Louis A. Annecchino, Jr. Lou’s love of music began at a young age when he taught himself to play the piano in his home. He began his more formal music education playing the accordion at the age of 12 under the direction of Livio Costa, a mentor and close friend. He began studying music at Northeastern University prior to entering the US Army in 1958. He performed with the 3rd Infantry Division Band as a clarinetist until 1961, spending two years performing overseas. Lou then completed his BA in Music at Boston University, where he became the first accordion player to be accepted as a student. During his working years, he attended classes at the University of Bridgeport, where he earned a Master of Music Degree.
Lou first began teaching music in Harrison, NY and married Valerie Costa (now Kaishian), daughter of Livio Costa, in 1967. In 1968, he returned to CT when he was offered a position as a teacher with the Fairfield school system. Lou continued to teach music to elementary and middle school students for the next 24 years. Though he personally excelled with the accordion, piano, and clarinet, he was able to instruct his students on how to play virtually any instrument. He retired to Natick in 1993, where he continued to provide private music lessons to area students until his health no longer allowed him to do so.
Always one who liked to know how things worked, Lou was known to often dismantle objects and rebuild them. He practiced these investigative skills on cars, musical instruments, and most recently, computers. He was a success in the kitchen, preparing with ease delicious meals which he loved to share with family and friends. Lou had an enduring love for dogs throughout his life. His most recent companion, Lady, a white golden retriever rescue dog, stayed loyally by his side until the very end.
Lou is survived by his two sons, Louis A. Annecchino IV, and his wife, Julie Fox Annecchino, of Durham, CT, and Lee C. Annecchino and his wife, Nancy DeRose Annecchino, of Glastonbury, CT; four grandchildren, Carlie, Katherine, Paige, and Kyle Louis; and a number of close relatives and friends.
Lou was also loved and assisted by his good friend and neighbor, Glen Mackinnon, and his wife, Ann Marie, to whom the family is forever indebted, and his loyal physician, Christopher Fanta, M.D. (“Dr. Fantastic”), who was devoted and attentive beyond compare. His family will never forget your extraordinary kindness and endless compassion over the many years of his illness.
His funeral will be held from the John Everett & Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street at Natick Common, Natick, on Monday, Feb. 11th at 9:00 a.m. with a Mass of Christian Burial in Saint Patrick’s Church, 44 East Central Street, Natick, at 10:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Saint Patrick Cemetery.
Visiting hours will be on Sunday, 2 – 5 p.m. at John Everett & Sons Funeral Home. Donations may be made in Lou’s memory to Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, an organization devoted to keeping music alive in schools by donating musical instruments to under-funded music programs. Website address:http://www.mhopus.org/