Former Hamden Mayor Lucian A. DiMeo, who served from 1973 to 1979, passed away on April 23, 2022.
The town will lowered their flags to half-mast in celebration of his life on Thursday. Read more about DiMeo’s legacy below in a press release from the mayor’s office.
Mayor DiMeo served with distinction as Hamden’s mayor for three terms, from 1973 – 1979, and was selected as Hamden’s Finest Mayor in 2007. The planning and initial construction of the Miller Memorial Library began under Mayor DiMeo’s tutelage. Mayor DiMeo supported social services, such as his community development programs, daycare centers, an elderly lunch program, and senior housing.
Mayor DiMeo served in the Connecticut House of Representatives for four terms, from 1971 – 1973 and 1984 – 1988. Mayor DiMeo also served as the Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals in the late sixties through the early seventies.
Mayor DiMeo graduated from Hamden High School and obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Temple University, with honors. Mayor DiMeo came back to Hamden to work with his dad, James DiMeo, in his construction business. He then went on to start his own business, a residential and industrial property management company.
Mayor DiMeo retired, and then came out of retirement to partner with his sons, James and Lucien Jr., as well as with Joseph Natale, in a company that does commercial rehabilitation and brownfield remediation.
Mayor DiMeo had a strong sense of community service. He was a board director at St. Raphael’s Hospital, and traveled to Haiti twice as a missionary to help with the construction of an outpatient clinic for tuberculosis at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital. Mayor DiMeo served in the Army and was an active member of Rotary. He was named Citizen of the Year in 1985 by the Hamden Chamber of Commerce.
Mayor DiMeo enjoyed traveling with his loving partner of almost 20 years, Diane Adam, and loved his family immensely. He was an avid gardener, keeping an organic garden, and won the Gardner of the Month Award in Fort Myers countless times. Mayor DiMeo was proud of his Italian heritage and a beloved member of Hamden’s community.
Mayor Lauren Garrett shared these sentiments upon hearing of Mayor DiMeo’s passing, “Mayor DiMeo served our town admirably as mayor as evidenced by the institutions that he helped to build. His impact on our town will be felt by generations to come. I offer my condolences to his many friends and family.”
Hamden’s flags will fly at half-mast as a celebration of Mayor DiMeo’s life, career, and legacy. He will always be remembered by our town.