Obituary of Leonard B. Napoli

Milford Resident Leonard B. Napoli, age 83, of Milford, died peacefully on Monday, May 19, 2008 in St. Vincents Medical Center with his family by his side. Born in Bridgeport on January 28, 1925, he was a son of the late Charles and Concettina Zaccaria Napoli. Leonard attended Barnum School, then Warren Harding High School, where he excelled in basketball and baseball. In his freshman year at Harding he was elected to the All State 2nd Team. He earned letters in both basketball and baseball. Following his graduation he attended the Booth and Bayliss Business School, where he majored in accounting. Leonard played basketball on two semi-pro teams in Bridgeport, the Springwoods and Chance Vought. His competitive spirit helped Chance Vought and Remington Arms to the Industrial League Championships. He began his career in the automotive industry in 1949 working with his brother-in-law at Dans Auto Sales and in 1954 he became manager of Dans Chrysler of Westport. He opened his own dealership in 1959 in Milford selling Renault and Peugeot Cars. In 1960 he acquired a Pontiac franchise and became one of the top Pontiac dealers in the Northeast Region. He also acquired a Datsun franchise in 1969 which is now the existing Nissan franchise. With his vision and hard work, Lenny Sr. along with his brother Tony, son Lenny Jr., and now his grandson Scott have grown the business into a very successful enterprise. Leonard was a past president and member of the Mill River Country Club for over 50 years, he received the Trinacria Award for the Top Italian Business Man, was a past Columbus Day Man of the Year and was a representative and captain of the Connecticut Society of Senior Golf Association. Lenny was a very talented golfer winning many local and national tournaments. He was the Connecticut State Senior Champion in 1986, the District Senior Champion four times, Canadian Super Senior Champion in 1998, 1999 and 2000 and was also a British Super Senior Champion. He also invented two golf games and a golf hand exerciser and was a talented painter having many of his drawing displayed in area galleries. He was predeceased by his wife Mary Romano Napoli and two brothers, Salvatore and Charles Napoli. Survivors include three loving children, Tina Haverl and her husband Robert of Shelton, Leonard Napoli Jr. and his wife Teri and Candice Miller and Michael Sampieri, all of Milford, a brother, Anthony Napoli and his wife Mary of Stratford, seven cherished grandchildren, Tamra Velleca and her husband Frank, Scott and Karen Haverl, Cassandra Murphy and her husband Craig, Nicole Donoghue and her husband Rich, Gina DeProfio and her husband Lou and Stacey Miller, six great grandchildren, Sarah, Michael, Lauren, Christopher, Emily and Derek, his devoted companion Beth Brownell, life long friend Dan Cortigiano and several nieces and nephews. Funeral Information Funeral services will take place on Friday, May 23, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. in the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Road, Trumbull, and at 10:30 a.m. in St. James Church, Stratford for a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will follow in St. Michael Cemetery, Stratford. Friends may call on Thursday from 4-8 p.m. Donations Information In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Swim Across the Sound, c/o St. Vincent Medical Center, 2800 Main St., Bridgeport, CT 06606.