TURCOTTE, Leo

Leo Turcotte, 85, of Vero Beach, Fla., died Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008, at his home. He was born in St. Guillaume, Province of Quebec, Canada, July 6, 1923, and lived in Bristol, until he retired from the Connecticut State Police Department as sergeant in October 1971, where he headed the Division of Humanistic Studies. He attended Hillyer College from which he earned a degree in business administration. Mr. Turcotte enrolled in the U.S. Navy reserves at the age of 19, illegally, as he was still a citizen of Canada. He served in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters for 39 months. He was a crew member of the destroyer Henry A. Wiley, which was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for exceptional success in destroying kamikaze suicide bombers in the Iwo Jima and Okinawa invasions. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1946 and received his citizenship papers at that time. Upon retirement he and his family moved to Cape Cod, Mass., where Leo was associated with Nickerson Lumber Co. He leaves his wife, M. Frances of 56 years; four children, Christopher Turcotte, Martha Lee Handel, Francine Penney and David Turcotte, all of Cape Cod; and a sister, Noella Kendall; and brother, Richard Turcotte of Bristol; seven grandchildren; one great-grandson; and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be private. Arrangements are under the direction of Cox-Gifford-Seawinds Funeral Home and Crematory, Vero Beach, Fla. Condolences may be sent through seawindsfh.com/obit.php.