Joseph Desautel Obituary

Longtime Barrington Resident|Joseph Normand Desautel, Jr. ("Joe") of Old Saybrook, Connecticut died at the age of 75 on May 11, 2025 surrounded by his loving family following a brief illness.



Joe was born on November 7, 1949 in Attleboro, Massachusetts, the son of Joseph N. Desautel, Sr. and Pauline (Tolo) Desautel.

He attended Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro, Massachusetts, after which he served in the United States Army (84th Engineer Corp) and was stationed in Nuremberg, Germany for three years from 1967-1970.



While in the army, Joe met the love of his life, his wife of 56 years, Deborah (Bridges) Desautel, who he married in 1969. They were blessed with two daughters, Doris Ellen Desautel (Broudy) and Bethany Ruth Desautel (Brown).



Following the conclusion of his honorable service, Joe attended the University of Massachusetts, earning a degree in Civil Engineering. For more than five decades thereafter, he would embark on a highly-successful career as a civil engineer, with the last thirty two years spent at Downes Construction, where he was President and CEO prior to his "retirement".



Responsible for the construction of countless academic institutions (from grade school to university), special monuments, sporting venues, hospital wings, museums, and police stations (for example) throughout New England, among his proudest professional accomplishments were building the Sandy Hook Memorial in Newtown, Connecticut; the Old Saybrook Police Station in his hometown of Old Saybrook, Connecticut; and, most recently, the newly-constructed community center for the City of New London, the ribbon-cutting of which occurs next month.



Joe enjoyed membership in numerous industry organizations, including (for example) Downes Holding Company, Inc., and sitting on the Board of Directors for the Associated General Contractors of Connecticut and the Nutmeg State Games of Connecticut.



Also a builder outside of work, one of Joe's many talents and favorite hobbies was woodworking, creating countless beautiful pieces of furniture, toys, and other treasures in his wood shop for family and friends. He especially enjoyed spending time in his workshop with his grandchildren and sons-in-law (who were always put immediately to work).



An avid athlete his entire life, Joe was a baseball and football player in high school (also playing football in college); as an adult, he enjoyed racquetball, squash and golf as a member of Rhode Island Country Club in Barrington, Rhode Island; Fenwick Golf Club in Old Saybrook, Connecticut; Augusta Country Club in Manchester, Maine; and with the Maine Senior Members Club.



Of his voluminous achievements and extensive interests, nothing compared to the love and dedication Joe had for his wonderful family, starting with his adoring wife, Debbie, with whom he shared more than 56 years of marriage. After years as a supportive father proudly watching his girls' every soccer game, ballet recital, horse-show and school performance, Joe gleefully embraced the role of "Papa" to his seven grandchildren once his daughters married and started families of their own.



Trips to Boston to watch the Celtics and the Red Sox play; visiting Foxboro Stadium to enjoy games between his son-in-law's beloved Philadelphia Eagles and his New England Patriots; vacations to Boca Raton and Siesta Key; summers at Cobbosseee Lake in Maine; and enjoying his grandchildren's basketball, soccer, tennis or ballet performances in Philadelphia and Michigan, were just some of the many ways he enjoyed being with his family (not to mention walking sweet Lucy, the family Golden Retriever, down Main Street in Old Saybrook with his wife).



Joe is predeceased by his parents as well as his younger brother, Daniel Desautel.



A member of St. John's Church in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, Joe is survived by his wife and two daughters, along with their husbands (both considered as sons), Joshua Broudy and Matthew Brown, and seven grandchildren-five girls, ranging from 14 to 21, and two grandsons, ages 12 and 15. He is also survived by a sister, Linda (Desautel) Lyons, a brother, Richard Desautel, as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and nephews, as well as so many dear friends.



A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Saint John's Church, 161 Main Street in Old Saybrook on Monday, May 19th at 11:00AM. Burial was be privately held in the Cypress Cemetery in Old Saybrook with the rendering of Military Honors. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to one of two charitable organizations Joe has proudly supported over the years: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (https://www.stjude.org/); and the Nutmeg State Games of Connecticut (https://nutmegstategames.org/). Arrangements were in the care of the Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home in Centerbrook, Connecticut