Obituary of Steven DeLuzio

SGT Steven Joseph DeLuzio, 25, of South Glastonbury, CT, died in battle on Sunday August 22, 2010 in Paktia Province, Afghanistan while serving with the Vermont National Guard. Steven was born on February 25, 1985 in Hartford, CT. He was the beloved son of Mark C. and Diane (Lysik) DeLuzio of South Glastonbury where he lived most of his life. Steven graduated from Glastonbury High School in 2003 and was president of his freshman class. He attended Hofstra University in New York, Norwich University in Vermont and graduated Cum Laude from the University of Hartford in 2009 with a degree in accounting. Before his deployment to Afghanistan, he was employed as an accountant at the CPA firm JH Cohn in Glastonbury. Steven belonged to the Co. A-3/172 Infantry 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (MTN) in Jericho, Vermont. This was Steven's second tour of duty as he was deployed in Ramadi, Iraq in 2006 earning the Combat Infantryman Badge, Army Commendation Medal, and the Navy Unit Citation from that deployment. For his service in Afghanistan, Steven was also awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, NATO Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge and the Army Good Conduct Medal. Steven was co-captain of the Glastonbury High School hockey team when they won the state championship in 2003. Steven was involved in Glastonbury Little League as an umpire and also coached his team to the Town championship in 2009. He was an avid sports fan and especially loved the New York Yankees and Boston Bruins. Besides his parents he is survived by his brother and sister-in-law SGT Scott and Victoria DeLuzio of Farmington, his high school sweetheart and fiancée Leeza Gutt of Glastonbury whom he was to marry on September 17, 2011, his grandfather Joseph Lysik of South Glastonbury, his nephew and godson Adam DeLuzio, aunts, uncles, numerous cousins and many, many dear friends. Steven always had a smile on his face and could light up a room just by entering it. He was protective, loving, and compassionate and will be greatly missed by all who knew him. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Monday August 30 at 10 a.m. in St. Paul Church, 2577 Main Street, Glastonbury. Burial with full military honors will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery, Glastonbury. Family and friends may call at St. Paul Church on Sunday August 29 from 2-7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the SGT Steven J DeLuzio Memorial Fund, c/o Merrill Lynch, The Keating Group, 185 Asylum Street, Hartford, CT 06103.