On Friday, October 17th at the Groton Inn & Suites, Fay Pillari and Attorney Frank A. Manfredi will be honored by the Italian Heritage and Cultural Committee of Norwich. Fay and Frank are both members of the Norwich community that are active in not only Italian activities, but also volunteer their time to organizations in the area. They will be named Italians of the Year.
Eufemia “Fay” Pillari was born in Italy in the town of St. Eufemia D’aspromonte Provincia Reggio Calabria. She was one of five children of Antonio and Angela Fedele. She was educated in Italy just before World War II began. Fay has two brothers, Giuseppe and Damiano, and two sisters Caterina and Rosa, who live in Milan.
Fay met her late husband, Vincent, and they were married in Italy. She came to the US in January 1954. She enrolled in night school and learned to read and write English. Fay became and American citizen in November 1957.
Her son, Vincent, works in the medical profession at UMass Medical Center. He lives with his wife, Dian in Worcester, MA. Her other son, Anthony, is an engineer in Tuscon, AZ. Fay is the proud grandmother of three grandsons, Vinny, Dorian, and Nicholas.
Fay worked at the Allens Shoe Manufacturing Company in Norwich, American Opitcal and John Meyer. She is an active member of AARP, Chapter 1104, CT State Employees Association (CSEA) and the Sacred Heart Parish in Norwichtown. She is very involved in the Church and does volunteer work throughout the community. . Fay is an active member and Correspondence Secretary of the Italian Women’s Social Club and the Italian Heritage and Cultural Committee.
Attorney Frank A. Manfredi graduated from Fairfield University in 1973, and graduated from Western New England College School of Law, Cum Laude in 1976. He practiced law in Milford for two years, then joined the US Navy and served on active duty in the US Navy JAG Corps for five and a half years. He served as the first Executive Officer at the Naval Legal Service Office at the Subase in Groton from 1981 to 1983 and served another 20 years in the Naval Reserce. He retired as Captain in 2004.
Frank moved to Norwich with the Navy in 1981 and upon leaving active duty, entered private practice with Cotter & Greenfield. He became a partner in 1987 and continues to the present as Cotter, Greenfield, Manfredi & Lenes. Frank is married to Kelly Ann Graves and has three grown children, Louis, Jennifer, and Ellen.
At various times, Frank has served on many boards across the area, such as Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeastern CT, Board of Directors of the Eastern CT Chamber of Commerce, and Norwich Commission on the City Plan, to name a few. Frank has also made three trips to Haiti with Dr. Lowney.
Frank is a volunteer firefighter and secretary with the Yantic Volunteer Fire Engine Company since 2004, and the Yantic Volunteer Firefighter of the Year 2007. He is Vice President of the Norwich Heritage Cultural Committee and Trustee of the United Italian Society of Norwich.
