Rotundo, Nicholas "Nick"
Nicholas “Nick” Rotundo, 62, passed away unexpectedly at home on Friday March 3, 2023. He is predeceased by his beloved mother Filomena (D’Agata) “Dolly” and revered father Louis A. Rotundo; and survived by his life partner Jeannine Quinlan, her two sons Cameron and Ritchie; and his brother Joseph A. Rotundo and sister-in-law Deborah (Scelza), and extended family members.
Nick was born in Hartford on April 25, 1960 and raised in West Hartford. After graduating from Hall High in 1978 he took a road trip to California driving his Vega down the west coast eventually landing in Texas where he bought his dream car, a 65 Mustang that he kept to this day. Nick loved that car and took a road trip back to Connecticut, then on to Rhode Island where he attended the New England Institute of Technology to become an auto technician. Nick loved to tinker around and figure out the mechanics of things, a skill that began in his tender years while in junior high. Upon graduation he returned to West Hartford to open Rotundo’s Automotive where he worked until he retired almost 20 years later. He thoroughly enjoyed being a mechanic and continued working on cars for friends and family.
With the help of friends, Nick built his retirement home in South Acworth, New Hampshire where he found freedom to enjoy all things outdoors –snowmobiling with his brother Joe, hunting with friends, and gardening or just sitting by the fire pit with Jeannine simply living life. He had a knack for finding treasures at the dump, telescopes, ornaments for the garden – and he had a thing for chairs. Nick took pride in his yard and enjoyed planting vegetables and flowers, and creating sitting areas.
Nick was a family man, he loved his mother and father dearly, tending to his mother in her later years. His passion was his friendships, to have the people he loved around him. Children flocked to his charismatic ways and larger than life presence. He loved Cam and Ritchie taking them under his wing showing them bits of life, doing the same with neighbor kids Eivan and Cora. Known as Rock Star to many friends, Nick loved to entertain throwing together his famous summer salad, potato casserole or his incredible pizza sauce – he always made it look easy.
Nick was incredibly lucky and generous. He loved the excitement of winning, often joking about his part-time job at the casino, or buying a round of scratch cards for friends to share in the fun. He had a passion for seeing live music and went to countless concerts in his youth and most recently The Who and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Nick had a zest for life and lived it to its fullest, no regrets. He will be greatly missed by family and friends. Nick’s life will be celebrated on Friday, March 31st at 10am in Corpus Christi Church of Christ the King Parish, 601 Silas Deane Hwy, Wethersfield, followed by a procession to Rose Hill Memorial Park (Section 25), 580 Elm St., Rocky Hill. The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made in Nick’s name to the American Heart Association, 5 Brookside Dr., Wallingford, CT 06492. To extend online expressions of sympathy, please visit www.desopofuneralchapel.com.