[naviga:img class="img-responsive" alt="Wayne T. Vendetto Sr." src="/Assets/news2015/WayneVendetto.jpg"/]

Wayne T. Vendetto Sr.

New London — Wayne T. Vendetto Sr. loved a good parade.

So while he may be remembered for a life’s worth of civic work in the community and involvement in the local Democratic Party, his longtime friend and former colleague Reid Burdick said, Vendetto’s role in the city hosting the Connecticut Firemen’s Association Annual Convention and Parade starting in the 1970s is legendary.

“We had the biggest and best firemen’s convention and parades anywhere in the state,” Burdick said. “It was Sailfest for firemen that culminated in a five-hour parade and a festive gathering where I wouldn’t venture to guess the number of hot dogs and barrels of beer being provided to guests.”

Vendetto, 74, passed away Monday evening at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital following what friends say was complications from a stroke.

He is a former member of the Board of Education and City Council who served as both deputy mayor and mayor and led the council’s Public Safety Committee. Up until his death, he still was serving as a member of the Police Community Relations Committee.

Vendetto was widely respected as a plainspoken man who, along with other members of the Vendetto family, was entrenched in local politics and involved in numerous community events and organizations. As a member of the New London Lodge of Elks he helped organize the annual New London Hope Week activities and parade, Memorial Day parade and Veterans Day vigil. Vendetto and other members of his family annually served Thanksgiving meals at the New London Senior Center in honor of his parents, the late Ellen and Michael Vendetto.

“When you think of the Vendetto family, you think of New London,” longtime friend Marie Gravell said. “New London has a big loss with the loss of Wayne Vendetto, no question. He volunteered for so many things.”

Vendetto had six siblings. He sister, Donna Vendetto, recently was named as the grand marshal of the upcoming New London St. Patrick’s Day parade.

“He was a good man. He’s going to be missed,” longtime friend Margaret Mary “Peg” Curtin said. “He’s part of a very active family always doing something for the community.”

“He’s iconic in New London government and politics,” Republican City Councilor Martin Olsen said. “He’s been a leader in the community and good to me, personally. When I initially got involved in politics, he was honest and forthright. He was a guy I could talk to.”

Retired from Sears and Roebuck, Vendetto worked for decades as a state sheriff and later as a state marshal. He was volunteer firefighter with the former F.L. Allen Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 and president of the former New London Firemen’s Association.

Burdick said the firehouse, before volunteer departments were disbanded, was a place for real city political discussions where opposing sides would nearly come to blows during a meeting but leave the firehouse and join each other as friends at the local watering hole.

Burdick, who also served as a Republican on the council with Vendetto in the early 1980s, said while he often held opposing political views, he respected Vendetto for his integrity.

“There was no backroom dealing. He was right out front with his views. He was a straightforward man,” Burdick said.

Current Councilor Don Venditto called Vendetto “Uncle Wayne” and said he was not only a consummate politician but “involved in everything that revolved around family and community, especially as it related to New London.”

“He was always there to lend a helping hand to family; no matter what it involved, you always knew Uncle Wayne would help in any way he could,” Venditto said.

Vendetto’s father, Michael Vendetto, and Venditto’s paternal grandfather, Joe Venditto, were twin brothers. Why the spellings differ, Don Venditto said, is a story for another day.

Venditto said Uncle Wayne also gave him sound advice on how to vote as a member of the council.

“He said, ‘Don, you have to vote with your head, not your heart. Think things through and look at them from all sides because your brain will lead you in the right direction. If you vote with your heart, you might overlook details,’” Venditto said. “'Voting with your heart is a soft vote, you don’t want to do that.’”

Once Vendetto had a position on a matter, friends say, he stuck with it.

“He was not an ambivalent man. He knew where he stood,” Burdick said. “New London certainly would be better off if we had a few more Wayne Vendettos running around. He was a New London guy who did New London stuff for New London people."

Calling hours are from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at the Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Home at 12 Ocean Ave. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph Church. Interment will be private.

g.smith@theday.com