Dante R. Civitello, aged 95, passed away on Monday, November 16th at St. Mary's Hospital in Waterbury. He was the devoted husband of the late JoAnna Marie Civitello and the father of six children. Dante was born on August 17th, 1925 in Waterbury, Connecticut. He was the son of Domenick Civitello and Luisa (DiLella) Civitello. Dante will be remembered by his family and all who knew him as a Renaissance man who excelled at every new endeavor. He began working at age eight as a shoe-shine boy during the Great Depression to help support his family. He graduated from Crosby High School in Waterbury. He served in Europe during World War II, earning an honorable discharge. A fan of western movies as a boy, Dante taught himself to trick ride and train horses, traveling the United States as a rodeo performer. He was a member of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. He performed in Madison Square Garden, performed in the Roy Rogers Rodeo, and was memorialized at the Gene Autry Museum in Los Angeles, California. While working as head wrangler and main entertainer at the Lost Wilderness Dude Ranch in Sandisfield, Massachusetts, Dante met the love of his life, JoAnna Costello, a New York City girl who was vacationing at the ranch. They married and raised a large family. They remained devoted to one another until JoAnna's death on August 19, 2017. Dante taught himself harness-making and leather-making and founded his tack and riding store, Dan's Frontier Store and Harness Shop, in Waterbury. The store relocated to Woodbury, Connecticut in 1965 and gained the reputation of a premier destination in the tri-state era for horse lovers. He was known nationally as a master leatherworker and harness maker. He shared his knowledge with harness makers across the country, and was a contributing author to the Draft Horse Journal. He attended the World Wide College of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa and enjoyed running a second business as a local auctioneer. Throughout his life, Dante was an avid musician, having taught himself to play guitar, banjo, harmonica, drums, and last, but not least, a washtub guitar. He was a member of the Bristol Old Time Fiddlers, and hosted many country music jams at Dan's Frontier Store. His contributions to music in Woodbury were officially recognized by the Town of Woodbury in a ceremony at the Woodbury North Green gazebo, where his legacy is memorialized for future generations. Dante had a love of photography and film making, with one full-length film to his credit. He wrote several articles for local newspapers, including the Waterbury Republican. He enjoyed steer roping with his roping partner Malcolm Baldridge, formerly of Woodbury, Connecticut. He had a keen eye for horseflesh, and loved his draft horse Sampson, who was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest horse in the world at the time. Dante is survived and deeply mourned by his brothers Archimedes Rudolfo Civitello and Paul Julio Civitello, and his six children Donna Jean Civitello, Bette Ann Kitik, Lisa Marie DeAngelis, Daniel John Civitello, JoAnna Lynn Abraham and James Anthony Civitello. He is also survived by his daughter-in-law Jill Semple Civitello and his sons-in-law Robert Forrest Carter, Norman James DeAngelis and Eric Walter Kitik; his grandchildren Drew Alexander Kitik, Lila Elizabeth Kitik, Melanie Grace Kitik, James Anthony Civitello, Jr., Robert Paul Civitello, Nicholas John Civitello, Megan Lynn Civitello, Rachel Leigh Abraham, Christopher Michael DeAngelis, Joseph Anthony DeAngelis, Grace Marie DeAngelis, and many nieces and nephews, including his nephew Charles Linder, whom he considered his honorary son. He is predeceased by his sisters Marie Antoinette Civitello, Aurora Beatrice Civitello, his brother Eduardo Romeo Civitello and his granddaughter Angelina Marie DeAngelis. Funeral services will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, please consider charitable contributions in Dante's name to the Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300 Jacksonville, Florida 32256.