Adolph J. Luciani

Adolph “Dolph” J. Luciani, 81, of Woodbridge, CT passed away peacefully on December 27, 2022, at Yale New Haven Hospital after a brief illness.

Born on December 29, 1940, in New Haven, CT, he was the son of the late Rosemarie (Schmidt) and Adolph Luciani. After graduating from Amity High School in 1958, Dolph went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut at Storrs. While at UConn, he was very active in his fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon, played varsity football with several of his cousins, and most importantly met the love of his life, Alison Beebe, whom he married in 1962.

After graduation, Dolph joined the Equitable, earning his Chartered Life Underwriter designation and rising to the position of District Manager before leaving in 1975 to start his own agency, Group Insurance Associates. He built that into a highly successful business through a combination of hard work and exceptional customer service. He truly enjoyed getting to know his clients, many of whom stayed with him for decades and became close friends.

Family, sports and community were Dolph’s focus outside of work. He was a decades long sports coach to his three children and the youth of Woodbridge. He was a founding member of the Woodbridge Fathers’ Baseball League and served as Chairman of the Woodbridge Recreation Commission.

Once his children were in college, Dolph turned his attention to his beloved alma mater, UConn. He and his wife were season ticket holders for men’s and women’s basketball and also supported the football and baseball teams. He was a founding member of the UConn Dugout Club and was a member of the UConn Foundation.

His many friends knew him as an enthusiastic sports fan and looked forward to his group trips to Saratoga, Yankee Stadium, and anywhere UConn played, including Hawaii and The Bahamas.

Dolph was also very active in his church, Our Lady of the Assumption, in Woodbridge. He served for many years on the Parish Finance Council and most recently as a Trustee.

At the time of his death, Dolph was winding down his business career, leaving it in the capable hands of his son Brian and grandson Matt.

He will be sorely missed by the scores of people, both young and old, whose lives he touched.

Dolph was predeceased by his parents Adolph and Rosemarie, and his sister Eleanor Cozzolino. He is survived by his devoted wife of 60 years, Alison; his sister Jacqueline Hughes (David); his three children, Brian (Julie), Gary, and Jill (Tom); his grandchildren Matthew, Caroline, Christian, Anna-Claire, Ellie, Alison, and Nate, and his great granddaughter Hailey.

Friends and family may call Friday, December 30th from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Celentano Funeral Home, 424 Elm St., New Haven, CT. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 31st in Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 75 Center Rd, Woodbridge, CT. Burial will follow at Eastside Cemetery, 157 Pease Road Woodbridge, CT

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