- Date Of Birth: August 25, 1943
- Date Of Death: December 25, 2021
- State: Connecticut
Joseph Richard Deshaies, 78, of New Britain, beloved brother, uncle, granduncle, friend and neighbor, died peacefully but unexpectedly at home on December 25th, 2021. Born on August 25th, 1943 in New Britain, he was son of the late Gerard and Elizabeth (Beaulieu) Deshaies. He is survived by his two sisters and their husbands, Regina and Robert Berube, formerly of Plainville, CT now living in New Britain, and Janet and Thomas Bertelsen of Marlborough, CT. He has 7 nieces and nephews: Robert (wife Birgit) Berube, Annemarie Sundgren, Rachel (husband Brian) Beckwith, Diana Berube and Michael Berube, all of Bristol CT, and Thomas G Bertelsen in Manchester, CT and Steven Bertelsen in Marlborough CT. He also has 13 grandnieces and grandnephews and one great grandniece. Family and lifelong friends knew him as Richard or Richie, but he started being called Joe when serving in the Air Force after high school, as his birth certificate has his first and middle names swapped. He was a lifetime parishioner of St Mary Church, now part of the St Joachim Parish, in New Britain. He was a proud veteran, serving in the Air Force until he was honorably discharged in March 1969. After his time in the military, he had several jobs, his favorites were doing maintenance work at New Britain Memorial Hospital (now called Hospital for Special Care) and as a machinist at Stanley Works in New Britain. He loved to shop, work outside in the yard and was an avid reader, and was always willing to help friends and neighbors, shoveling snow, mowing lawns and trimming bushes or helping out in any way he could. He would visit friends and family, especially if they were in the hospital or a nursing home, always bringing something to cheer them up, and made a point of keeping in touch with family and friends, whether near or far away. He was a generous and caring person to everyone. His family and friends were really important to him. He loved spending time and phone calls with Gary Lee, a friend who he felt was like the brother he never had. Everyone whose life Richard/Joe touched will miss him deeply.
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