Louis J. Filippetti December 20, 2023
Louis John Filippetti, 84, passed away in Tampa, FL on December 20, 2023 after several hospitalizations over the past three years.
Lou was born in Whitman, MA on February 9, 1939. He was predeceased by his parents, Caesar and Virginia Folloni Filippetti, his wife, Lorraine Roth Filippetti, his second wife, Patricia Noel, his sisters, Mary Markey, Rosalie Ghelfi, Frances Morast, and his brother, Richard, his brother-in-law Stephen Markey, and his special aunt, Angela Balboni. He is survived by his children, Marisa Ellis ( Jay) of Prosper, TX, Terri Filippetti of Burlington,MA, and Brian Filippetti (Christine) of Westerville, OH, and his grandchildren, Katie Clines (Alex), Colin Ellis, Dylan Ellis, Jayme Ellis, Diego Garcia, and Chase Filippetti-Daly. He is also survived by his sisters, Helen Preti and Nancy Sharland , sister-in-law, Terri Filippetti and Janet Allen, brothers-in-law Jack Morast and Anthony Ghelfi, his uncle John Folloni (Marie), his aunt Helen Levy Folloni, 25 nieces and nephews, plus many more cousins, great nieces and nephews, godchildren, friends and former colleagues-all whom loved him dearly. Although Lou lived in Florida, he was constantly aware of how much his children loved and cared for him because of their frequent visits to his bedside where they encouraged him to stay strong.
Lou grew up in Bridgewater, MA and attended St Patrick’s Parochial School in Brockton before transferring to and graduating from Bridgewater High School in 1956. He graduated from Stonehill College in 1961, after which he spent two years in the US Army stationed in Fort Sill, OK. In 1963, he was honorably discharged as a 2nd Lt., and then began his 32 year career with GAB, first living in Rochester, NY. It was here that he met Lorraine Roth, whom he married in 1965. Lou and Lorraine shared a love of sports, family, and faith until her death in 2001.
Lou had a passion for sports which began with his participation in high school baseball, football, and basketball teams, where he excelled. He was a member of the Bridgewater High School Class D basketball championship at the Boston Garden in 1956. He played intramural basketball at Stonehill and intra service baseball while in the US Army. His true vocation was his career as a referee and umpire for high school and college sports. He was given an honorary life membership in the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (IABBO) upon his retirement from refereeing, Lou was honored by the IABBO in 2011 for his 50 years of service to the organization and recognition of his excellence in refereeing. Highlights of Lou’s refereeing career included his selection to referee the Soviet Union/USA basketball game in 1973 and the Special Olympics in Shanghai, China in 2007. He was named to the Stamford, CT Hall of Fame from the Glenn Brook Athletic Club in 2010. Lou was a member of The Italian Club and the Glenn Brook Athletic Club in Stamford and also a member of the Bridgewater Veterans Club in Bridgewater, MA.
He was an avid duplicate bridge player and achieved the status of Grand Life Master. He was a lifetime devoted member of the Roman Catholic Church in the many places he called home during his life. Lou was proud of his Italian heritage and visited his Italian relatives in Sarzana and Comano, Italy on several trips abroad.
Relatives and friends are invited to visiting hours on Thursday, January 4th, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Chapman Funerals & Cremations, 98 Bedford Street, Bridgewater, MA. A funeral mass will take place the following Friday, January 5th, 2024 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Bridgewater at 10:30 a.m. Burial to follow at St. Thomas Aquinas Cemetery.