Reed Bertolette, 91, died October 16th, 2014 at the Watermark East Hill, Southbury, CT. He is survived by his children, Katharine Hess, Reed Bertolette, Jr. and Russell Edward Bertolette, and two grandsons, Alek and Russell Hess.

Reed was born in Norristown, PA on December 14th, 1922, the son of Norman Boone Bertolette and Katharine Marie (Kitty) Schweyer Bertolette. He served in World War II as a Lieutenant and Flight Engineer on the B-29 squadrons stationed on Guam, and graduated from Yale University in 1944.

He married Martha Burke on September 8, 1951, and lived in NC, IL, and CA before settling in Woodbury, CT in 1962. He worked for many years in sales for Scovill Manufacturing Company, and then at Turner and Seymour, Inc. in Torrington, CT, where he became interested in a little-used division of their operation that produced machines for automated parts-straightening and tube cut-off. He bought the division and started Bertolette Machines Incorporated, growing it into a successful enterprise that manufactured custom production machinery for an international clientele.

Reed was an active member of the Democratic Town Committee, the Woodbury Scholarship Fund, the Yankee Invention Exposition, and the Council of Churches. He sang in the choir at Middlebury Congregational Church (now United Church of Christ) and the First Congregational Church in Woodbury. He was a member of Highfield Country Club and the Middlebury Swimming Club.

Memorials: Donations may be made in his name to the Woodbury Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 716, Woodbury, Connecticut 06798-0716; or to the Woodbury Democratic Town Committee, PO Box 1137, Woodbury, CT 06798

Location: Munson-Lovetere Southbury

Services: A memorial will be announced for the celebration of his life and family in the near future.

Visitation: No Calling Hours