Obituary of Edward O. Weselcouch

Edward O. Weselcouch Edward O. Weselcouch, age 94, passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 6, 2020. Edward was born in Derby, CT, on August 3, 1926, and was the son of the late John A. Weselcouch and the late Catherine P. (Dukeley) Weselcouch. He was predeceased by his brother Donald J. Weselcouch and Mary P. (Mooney) Weselcouch, his wife of nearly 67 years. Edward was a 1944 graduate of Ansonia (CT) High School, where he played baseball, basketball and ran on the track team. Following high school, Ed enrolled in St. Basil’s Ukrainian Catholic Seminary in Stamford, CT. During his studies, he also served as an assistant coach for the school’s scholastic football, baseball and basketball teams, and appeared as a player-coach when the basketball team competed against other colleges. Following his year of study, Ed served in the U.S. Army at Fort Dix in New Jersey. Upon completion of his military service, Ed graduated from New Haven State Teachers College (now Southern Connecticut State University) in 1951, where he earned his bachelor’s degree and met his future wife, Mary Mooney. Following their graduation, Ed and Mary were married and moved to Essex, CT, where Ed began teaching sixth grade at Essex Elementary School. An innovative teacher, Ed initiated a morning news program modeled on the NBC show Today, which was planned, produced and executed by the sixth-grade students. Ed subsequently received his master’s degree and Sixth Year Certificate in Administration from the University of Connecticut. In 1955, Ed became the principal of Deep River (CT) Elementary School, where he loved working with the faculty, staff and young students until his retirement in 1989. During his 34-year tenure, students from multiple generations of families came through his school. Ed lived in Essex for 63 years, and was a longtime parishioner at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Essex and served there as an usher and member of the Parish Council. Ed was also a past president of the Xavier High School (Middletown, CT) Home & School Association, and, in 1990, was inducted into the Xavier High School Hall of Honors for his distinguished service to the school. As a lover of sports, Ed was a volunteer Little League coach in Essex for many years. He also loved all sports Boston - the Celtics, Patriots and especially the Red Sox. He was also an avid fan of the UConn men’s and woman’s basketball teams. In retirement, Ed and Mary enjoyed Elder Hostel trips, shows at the Ivoryton Playhouse and Goodspeed Opera House, playing bridge, summer evening picnics at Mile Creek Beach Club, a good Tony Bennett record (Ed and Tony were born on the same day), trips to Cape Cod and college football tailgate parties (and the games, of course). Most of all, Ed loved his family, especially his dear wife, Mary. He took great pride in all of the accomplishments and activities of his children and grandchildren. And he was very much loved by his family. It would be hard to find a more positive, loving, generous, caring, thoughtful and wonderful husband, father, friend and man than Ed Weselcouch. Ed is survived by his three sons and two daughters, Edward O. Weselcouch, Jr., and his wife, Kathy, of Bar Harbor, ME; James D. Weselcouch and his wife, Cathy, of East Haddam, CT; David G. Weselcouch and his wife, Christine, of Fairfield, CT; Susan W. Autuori and her husband, Edmund, of West Hartford, CT; and Elizabeth W. Dougherty, and her husband, Brian, of Killingworth, CT. Ed is also survived by 16 grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. He is further survived by his sister, Carolyn W. Giannone of Ansonia, and by many nieces, nephews and cousins. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, services will be private. Please consider a memorial donation to the Connecticut Food Bank (online at ctfoodbank.org or via mail to 2 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492). To share a memory of Ed, or send a condolence to his family, please visit www.rwwfh.com.