Obituary: Lou Caravella

lou-caravella
Lou Caravella

Lou Caravella, a lifelong resident of Cos Cob, died on Thursday, surrounded by family and friends. He was 93.

Lou, known fondly as “The Mayor of Cos Cob” and “That Tax Guy,” was born in Greenwich in 1926 to Patsy and Elisa (DeBenedittis).

He leaves behind his wife of 65 years, Judy, and four loving children, Linda Loparco (Wayne), David Caravella (Laura), Wendy Caravella and Randy Caravella (Kim); five grandchildren, Jessica Kordas, Ryan Caravella (Ali), Kelly Caravella White (Caleb), Chelsea Kordas and Gabby Caravella; and five great grandchildren, Amilia and Ethan Zabrecky, Sophie and Luna Caravella and Wesley White. As well as a long time beloved friend and caregiver Raafat Maaouia.

Lou attended Greenwich Public Schools and graduated Greenwich High School in 1944. He served as a private first class in the United States Air Force from 1944 to 1946. An avid bowler, Lou began his first business when he opened the Elm Street Bowling Alley after being discharged from the service. Later, he was a sales representative for a Stamford wholesaler that sold candy, tobacco and sundries.

Though he served as the Town of Greenwich Tax Collector from 1998 to 2009, it was Lou’s constant presence at Post Stationery in Cos Cob that made his face familiar to so many families. He knew the names and faces (and parent’s names) of the many children who came to his store, noses pressed against the candy display, salivating over a favorite piece of candy. He purchased the store in 1953 as a wedding present for his unknowing bride. He would go on to work seven days a week, 15 hours a day until 1988 when he sold the store. His family joked that if a resident didn’t know Lou from the store, they learned his name when their tax bill arrived in the mail.

Despite working long hours at the store, Lou found time to volunteer in the community. He served as the President of the Greenwich Old Timers Athletic Association in 1996. He was a member of the Cos Cob Rotary Club for 41 years, a member of RTM District 8 for 10 years, served on the Town’s Board of Assessment Appeals and served as chair of the Democratic Town Committee. Some of the numerous other boards and committees he served on include the Selectmen’s Board of Development of the Cos Cob Power Plant, the Board of Directors of the Diamond Hill Methodist Church, the Selectmen’s Parking Advisory Committee, the Cos Cob PTA, the Cos Cob Volunteer Fire Department and the Cos Cob Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Lou did not let any of his other commitments stop him from finding the time to perform more than 500 wedding ceremonies as a Justice of the Peace. 

While Lou was an aficionado of many sports, his true love was bowling, an interest that stemmed back to 1946, when he was introduced to the game by Bob Allis. In the early 1960s, he was a bowling instructor with John Petise for the Greenwich Recreation Board’s Junior League teaching many youngsters the game.

In 1960, Lou, Larry Lamoreux and a number of local bowlers organized the Lower Fairfield County Bowling Association which became one of the elite bowling organizations in the area. For ten years, Lou and Bob Allis were teammates on various bowling teams. Prior to forming the LFCBA, they were members of the New York Bowling Association, traveling to many tournaments throughout New York State. Although he never bowled a 700 series, Lou came close, recording a score of 698.

His work with the Rotarians was also exemplary, and in 1979, he was the recipient of the Donald A. Adams Outstanding Award for Rotary District 798. This prestigious Rotary honor is presented to a member who best represents all-around contributions to the Four Avenues of Rotary Service. Consideration is given to the candidate’s exceptional service to both his or her club and District.

Lou was also proud of his service as a member of the Youth Exchange Programs for the Northeast Region of the Rotary Clubs of America. Over the years, he and Judy hosted a total of 14 students who hailed from Argentina, Mexico, Belguim, Japan, Bolivia, Brazil and Australia.

In a statement made Friday, Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo described Caravalla as a familiar face that symbolized Cos Cob. Reminiscing Camillo said that, “Everybody who went to Cos Cob School would go there before and after school… Everybody has a story about Lou and the store…It was literally the place in Cos Cob.”

First Selectman Camillo has ordered Town flags be lowered to half-staff.

Visitation is set for Sunday, January 5 from 1 to 5 p.m. and Monday, January 6 from 4 to 9 p.m. at Castiglione Funeral Home, 544 Old Post Road #3, Greenwich.

A funeral service is scheduled for Tuesday, January 7 at 11 a.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 4 Riverside Ave, Riverside.

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