Chun Desiderato

Waterford — Chun Desiderato of Waterford, passed away March 25, 2023, at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London. The daughter of Ho and Song Park, she was born Nov. 1, 1953, in Gangneung, South Korea. She moved to the United States in 1972, where she resided for the remainder of her life, first in Vermont, and then in Connecticut, where she managed a successful small business for many years while raising her family.

She was predeceased by her loving husband, Otello Desiderato, with whom she enjoyed traveling, attending operas, plays and museums, quietly strolling in Harkness Park, cooking, gardening and entertaining with their many friends and family members. She intensely loved her family and was a daily presence and inspiration in the lives of her children and grandchildren and their many friends, all of whom adopted her as their own mother or grandmother, “Harmony.” While small in stature, she was a giant in spirit, and her grace, wisdom, compassion, generosity and boundless energy had an immeasurable positive influence on the lives of everyone in her orbit. She was greatly loved and will be tremendously missed.

Survivors include her daughter Mary Tibbals and her husband, John of Mystic; her daughter Martha Davis of Jewett City, and their father Bill Davis of Griswold; her stepson David DeRaggio and his wife Valerie Raggio of Granby; her stepdaughter Laurie Desiderato and her husband Richard Hook of Bemidji, Minn.; their respective children and grandchildren; and three sisters and a large and loving extended family in South Korea and Italy.

The Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Home of New London is managing the arrangements. There are no calling hours. Donations in memory may be sent to the Gastrointestinal Cancers Program Fund at Yale New Haven Health in her name.