Lew Compson, of Cromwell, passed away Aug. 4 after spending his last hours surrounded by his family and some close friends. He was born in Hartford on June 7, 1932 to Ethel LeFever and Lewis J. Compson Sr. At his birth his father nicknamed him Skeeter because of his small size. He attended Our Lady of Sorrows Grammar School in Hartford and went on to graduate from Hartford Public High School in 1950. Lew was drafted into the US Army and served his nation overseas during the Cold War. Lew used the GI Bill to attend the University of Hartford and graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration. He worked for several insurance companies in the greater Hartford region until his retirement.
In 1951, Lew’s heart was stolen by a young Irish beauty from a large family. Joan Reilly captured his heart and they enjoyed 64 years of marriage. She was his best friend and the love of his life and she still holds his heart. Lew also came to love the Reilly clan, Joan’s mother, father and 10 brothers and sisters and their spouses. The large Reilly family came to love Lew and he enjoyed his role as one of the “outlaws’.
He was very active in coaching various youth programs from Little League and Alumni League Baseball, Parks and Rec Basketball and helping out with Midget Football. His teams won several championships in baseball and basketball.
The family enjoyed camping and traveled from Maine to Florida. Lew and Joan fell in love with old Cape Cod and spent many years relaxing there, reading books, going to the beach and just spending time with one another. He also loved to play golf, going to Disney, and watching the UCONN women’s basketball team – they attended several Final Four tournaments.
Lew was a member of the Sacred Heart Men’s Club and enjoyed playing cards with the gang. He was also a Friend of Bill W for 35 years. Besides the love of his life Joan, Lew is survived by his daughter Cathleen and her husband Barry Bernstein; his two sons, Steven Compson and Michael Compson, and his wife Robbie, along with his precious granddaughter Kayla; Lew loved her from the first moment he held her, he could never hear enough about her and his son Steven Compson. He also leaves his cousins, Rene Brakensiek of CA. and Shirley Mazotas of TX., as well as many brothers and sisters- in- law and nieces and nephews and wonderful lifelong friends and neighbors.
Friends may call on Monday August 7, 2017 from 4:00 – 7:00 pm at the Farley-Sullivan Funeral Home, 34 Beaver Rd., Wethersfield. The funeral will be at Tuesday August 8, 2017 at 9:15 am from the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 am in St. Josephine Bakhita Parish at St. James Church, 767 Elm St., Rocky Hill. Burial will be in Rose Hill Memorial Park, 580 Elm St. Rocky Hill. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association, 5 Brookside Dr., Wallingford, CT 06492 or to the charity of the donor’s choice. To extend online condolences, please visit Farleysullivan.com.