Obituaries

In Loving Memory of Joan Ann Manfredonia (August 2, 1945-December 20, 2025)

Published: Dec 28, 2025 1:08 pm

It is with profound sadness and love that we announce the passing of our cherished mother, Joan (Carnevale) Manfredonia. She departed this world peacefully at the age of 80, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, kindness, and unwavering devotion to those she held dear.

Her Life And Legacy

Joan was born in Brooklyn, NY. Whether she was running marathons, helping her children clean or simply listening, she made everyone feel valued and loved. Her guidance shaped our lives in immeasurable ways. Joan graduated from James Madison High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1963 and received a Bachelor of Arts from Brooklyn College in 1967. She went on to receive her master’s degree in 1969. After staying home to raise her family, she was an Assistant Professor of Health and Physical Education at Naugatuck Community College in Waterbury for 11 years. Joan was a resident of Sandy Hook for 21 years.

Family And Relationships

Joan was the devoted wife of 58 years to her beloved husband Fred and the loving mother to her children Christopher of Newtown, Kim and her husband Nader of Middlebury, and Christine and her husband James of Avon. Her family was her greatest joy, and she dedicated herself wholeheartedly to nurturing, supporting, and encouraging each other. She taught them the importance of kindness, faith, and the power of never giving up. She is survived by 7 loving grandchildren who called her ‘Nana”: Stella (21), Alexa (20), Vincent (19), Christopher Jr. (17), Luciano (16), Oliver (8) and Crew (4). One of her biggest joys was hosting her annual Easter Egg Hunt for her children and grandchildren.

Her Passions And Hobbies

Joan was an accomplished runner, having run 8 full marathons and qualifying for the Boston Marathon each time. She was the winner of the Patchogue Marathon in Long Island in 1977. She also set a goal to compete in triathlons and did so successfully including one with her two daughters in Indiana in 1999. Joan was the Newtown High School Girl’s Tennis Coach for 8 years.

Joan was also a devoted Catholic and was a parishioner of St Rose of Lima for 42 years. She loved teaching CCD for 30 years and had the pleasure of teaching five of her grandchildren. She was also a member of the St Rose Women’s Club.

Our mother had a love and passion for UConn Women’s Basketball, often taking her grandchildren to games. She would never miss a game.

Joan was a big fan of Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac having gone to over 20 concerts across the country.

Honoring Her Memory

A visitation will be held on Monday, January 5, 2026, from 4-7 pm, at Honan Funeral Home in Newtown. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown on Tuesday, January 6, at 10:30 am.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to BARC-CT at 857 Post Rd #235, Fairfield CT 06824 to support Joan’s love of animals.

We love you, Mom, and we will carry your love with us always. Rest in peace.

Joan (Carnevale) Manfredonia, 80, departed this world peacefully on December 20, 2025.

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My darling, You were the best GRANDmother a child could ask for. You created so many great memories & traditions that I have passed down to your Great grandchildren. You brought joy into every room you stepped into. Your laughter, singing, whistling and the signature Rockettes high kicks, is something I will always hold in my heart. There was something about walking into your home and being greeted by your beautiful face. *kiss on each check* followed by HELLOOOOOO Darling! The classical music playing softly in the background and your love and comfort made your home, a safe space. Somewhere, where love knew no boundaries. It was so much more than a home. I aim for the same in my home, and play the classic music 24/7, but it will never be the same. I pray I can be 1/4 of GRAND, you put in GRANDmother. You were so resilient. You found the positive in every situation. I look up to you so much. I remember begging Mom and Dad for years to change my name to “Carmen”. They didn’t officially change my name, but eventually started calling me “Carmenita” as I am a little you. THE HONOR. You were there for me, no matter the day or hour. You were always the one who would talk me through whatever hard situation I was going through. When my baby passed away, I refused to talk to anyone for 3 weeks. Except for you. You said to me “Better days are coming, babes. There’s always a rainbow after the storm”. Of course, you were right, because you are GRAND. I picture you in heaven dancing and laughing with him. Uncle Jay playing the money game with him. To know you are with your children again & with mine does bring me some joy. Twas the night before Christmas & New Year’s Eve, will never be the same. Another tradition you created. A memory that will last forever. Not just with me, but for generations to come. It may not be the same, but we won’t let it die. It will live on, in your name. To be your first GRANDchild was a blessing. I could write an entire book about you & all the amazing things about you. Even though we were robbed of time together & it makes me angry, I know I will see you again. This isn’t a goodbye, but a “see you later”. Just like we ended every phone call. Ciao, darling. I love you. MWAH MWAH! Love your GRANDchild, Kimberly aka Carmenita

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Unfortunately, I think this is likely to get worse, not better... Based on both public comments and private conversations, I’m increasingly concerned that our newly elected First Selectman intends not just to install these cameras, but to expand their use for full-blown enforcement and fines. Try getting a straight answer out of him about the long-term plan and you quickly realize how vague the responses become. Tyler is absolutely right to raise the privacy issue. These systems don’t just “catch speeders” — they quietly build a database of where we drive, when we drive, and who is in our vehicles. Once that infrastructure is in place, it becomes very easy to justify expanding its scope: more cameras, more locations, more uses, and eventually more automated enforcement. If Newtown is going down this road, residents deserve clear, written answers to some basic questions before anything is expanded: What limits will be placed on how and where cameras are used? Will footage and plate data be used only for speed enforcement, or for other investigations too? How long will data be stored, and who can access it? What safeguards will prevent vendors and individuals from abusing this information? Without firm, enforceable rules in place, “just a few cameras to slow traffic” can turn into something very different over time. I support safe roads — but not at the cost of unchecked surveillance and vague promises from our leaders. You try getting straight answers out of our First Selectman, myself and others have not been able to...

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Real people were just in a frightening car accident. To immediately frame their misfortune as rhetorical ammunition against new housing — affordable housing included — feels less like concern for “health and safety” and more like opportunistically using a scary moment to support a pre-existing position. If we’re going to debate this proposal, we should do it honestly: with data on traffic volume, accident history, engineering recommendations, and the town’s housing needs, not by seizing on a single crash as proof that 300 apartments are inherently unsafe. Newtown deserves a thoughtful, fact-based conversation about growth, safety, and affordability — one that doesn’t turn other people’s bad day into a political talking point.

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To add context that did not occur at the meeting would not be an accurate representation of the meeting and would, in fact, be editorializing to shape public opinion. The editorial staff here do not consider ourselves to be final arbiters of what the truth is (and if we did, it would make us partisan and biased), and we would need to provide a source for any dissenting information (sourcing all information in an article is literally Journalism 101). There were no such sources present at the meeting in question, and so it would not be appropriate to include such information in an article about the meeting. Dissenting voices appear in meeting stories when there were active participants with dissenting opinions, such as during public participation or the words of a council member who disagreed. It should be noted that the Interfaith Council, like many local boards and commissions, conduct meetings that are open to the public. This was not an article on the actions of the Greater Danbury Area Unites for Immigrants, or on immigrants, or on ICE's actions in the community, where including other voices or perspectives would be appropriate. We appreciate your opinion, but we stand by our meeting coverage and consider this discussion closed.

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In Loving Memory of Joan Ann Manfredonia (August 2, 1945-December 20, 2025)

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