Joseph J. Rivard

Joseph J. Rivard, 85, passed away peacefully on February 18, 2019, at Yale-New Haven Hospital surrounded by his loving family. He is survived by his beloved wife of 50 years, Nancy (Pelletier) Rivard. The second of six children, Joe was in born in Saint-Boniface-de-Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada on April 28, 1933 to Lucian and Blanche (Marchand) Rivard.

In addition to his wife, Nancy, he is survived by his three daughters and their families: Cheri (Dave) Rivard-Lentz and their children Haley, Kate, Nicholas, and Alex of East Hampton; Kristen (Matthew Zipoli) Rivard and their children Julia, Lauren, and Zachary of Concord, MA; and Stacie (Clay) Pedigo and their children Mia, Drew, and Evan of Woodbridge. He is also survived by three brothers, Raymond Rivard of Middlebury, Andre (Mary) Rivard of Dublin, Ohio, Bernard (Barbara) Rivard of Prospect, one sister, Denise Capozzi of Watertown, his brother-in-law, Theodore (Diane) Pelletier of Stow, MA and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, his older brother, Ronald Rivard, and his sister-in-law, Arlene Rivard. A special thank you to his caregivers, Barbara and Ann, for the wonderful care they provided to him during his illness.

Joe was a very thoughtful and giving man with a kind and generous heart. He had an unwavering love for his family, especially his wife, who he loved more than anything. He enjoyed spending time laughing and joking with his grandchildren and watching them participate in their sports. He experienced great joy in the summer, swimming and playing in his backyard pool with his ten grandchildren. His presence and his giant personality will be greatly missed. Joe loved being outside, from being on his family’s farm in Canada as a boy, to playing softball into his forties, to deep-sea fishing in The Race, and watching the animals in the backyard in his later years. He was an avid reader, and knew a little something about everything, from history to religion to current events.

Until his retirement, Joe worked for many years in the trucking industry. He was the president and owner of Murphy Transportation, Inc. of Naugatuck. He was a former member of the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce.

A Mass in celebration of Joe’s life will take place on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at 11:00 AM at Sacred Heart Church, 910 Main Street South, Southbury, CT. A luncheon will follow the ceremony. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Southbury Food Bank, 88 Main Street South, Southbury, CT, your local food bank, or a charity of your choice. 

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