Concetta "Connie" O'Toole (Mangini), 85, of Newington, CT passed peacefully surrounded with love and in the care of her family on November 23, 2020. She was the daughter of John and Rachel (Ricardo) Mangini of Hartford. She is survived by her three daughters, Jayne Bascetta, of Newington, Lori Bartone of Wethersfield, Julie Gagnon and her husband, Philip Gagnon, of Cromwell; her grandchildren, Brittany Powers and her husband Matthew, David Bartone, Jr., Stephen Bartone, Nicholas Gagnon and Luke Gagnon; her great grandchildren, Connor Powers and Emma Powers; her brothers, Michael Mangini and Richard "Billy" Mangini both of West Hartford; and was predeceased by John Mangini, Jr. formerly of West Hartford.
Connie devoted her life to her family. Before retiring, she worked at Hartford National Bank as a night time manager. She had an unwavering strong work ethic and prided herself on being independent and self-sufficient, which was instilled in her children and grandchildren. She was able to handle anything that came her way with courage and grace. She had boundless energy, a great sense of humor, and although she was an avid collector of recipes and enjoyed creative cooking, her favorite lunch was a simple hot dog with chili.
She loved her home and took enormous pride in maintaining it independently. She had a creative sense of style for decorating and always aimed for "something different". She created beautiful outside gardens and favored using purple flowers. She even enjoyed mowing the lawn. She also enjoyed going to flea markets and garage sales with her daughters to find treasures for herself and others, walking at the mall, taking trips to New York City and to the Casino with her family and friends.
From Luke Gagnon to his Grandma, "To Grandma, I love you so much and miss you already. I strive to become as strong as you one day. But, you're in a better place now... heaven is lucky to have you. You're in God's hands now.. fly high Grandma."
Connie's beautiful, compassionate spirit and love for all of us will live in our hearts. She was our rock. We will miss her always and love her forever.
To honor her wishes, and to celebrate her life, a private family ceremony will be held. We would like to extend a special thank you to Beacon Hospice, and especially her nurse, Catherine Gagnon, who went well "above and beyond" in providing services and support to us. We are all comforted knowing that she is no longer suffering and resting in peace in heaven. In lieu of sending flowers, please consider donating to the American Cancer Society or Wellspring Church in Kensington.
