PLAINVILLE, CT - Vincent Dominic Mercadante, 80, of Plainville, the loving husband of Viola (Lastocy) Mercadante for 54 years, passed away Friday (December 26, 2003) at New Britain General Hospital with his loving family at his side after a long battle with a spinal cord injury. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts, the son of the late Dominic and the late Antoinette (DiConza) Mercadante, he graduated from North High School, and began his studies at Boston University to pursue a degree in music education until he enlisted in the Army in 1942 and was attached to the 322nd Company Wing, 9th Army Air Force, served twenty-two months in the European Theatre and took part in five major battles and campaigns before his discharge in 1945. Upon graduation from Boston University in 1948, he began teaching music in New Britain at Washington Junior High School, and later became assistant to the Director of Music, teaching instrumental music in the elementary schools. He was a co-founder and director of the Summer Music Workshop, and a part-time music instructor at both Mooreland Hill School in Kensington and at Central Connecticut State University, received his Master?s degree and certificate of advanced graduate study in school administration/supervision from the University of Hartford, and was principal of Elihu Burritt School and Smalley Elementary School before his retirement in 1992. His many honors included recognition for New Britain?s Early Intervention Program by the US Department of Education at a ceremony in Washington D.C. with Congresswoman Nancy Johnson, and being named one of the top three Elementary School Principals in the state of Connecticut by the Elementary and Middle Schools Principals Association. Vin was also business manager and an instrumentalist in the New Britain Symphony, conductor of the Hardware City Band, the J.C. Lentini Memorial Concert Band, and the Hartford City Insurance Band, played his tuba in the Canton Summer Band, the Wheeler YMCA Community Band, the Meriden City Band, and the Middletown Symphonic Band, played his trombone in the Manchester Swing Band and the Dick Santi Big Band, and sang in the ?Ernestly Yours? barbershop quartet. He was a member of Our Lady of Mercy Church in Plainville, V.F.W. Post 511, Disabled Veterans, American Legion Post 0033, the Amateur Radio Relay League, the Plainvile Golf League, and was a past president and secretary of the New Britain Evening Lions Club, who honored him as a recepiant of their Melvin Jones, Knights of the Blind, and Lion of the Year awards. He was a director and corporator of The New Britain Boys? and Girls? Club, and a board member of Catholic Family Services, the New Britain YMCA, and the Salvation Army where he was honored with the prestigious William Booth Award for organizing music programs at the Christmas Holiday Castle. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Madeline and Keith Coakley of South Windsor, and their sons Steve and Dave, a son and daughter-in-law, Vincent Mercadante Jr. and his wife Louis Anne of Plainville, a brother and sister-in-law, Nicholas and Frances Mercadante, a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Jacqueline and James Forbes of North Conway, New Hampshire, many nieces and nephews, and his very devoted black labrador, ?Penny?. Funeral Services will be held Tuesday (December 30, 2003) at 8am at Porter?s Funeral Home, 111 Chamberlain Highway, Kensington, Connecticut, followed by a Funeral Liturgy at 9:30am at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 84 Broad Street, Plainville. Burial with full military honors will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery, Plainville. Friends and relatives are invited to call at the funeral home on Monday (December 29, 2003) from 4-8pm. The Lions Club will conduct a service at 7pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Hospital for Special Care, 2150 Corbin Avenue, New Britain, CT 06053, The New Britain Boys? and Girls? Club, 150 Washington Street, New Britain, CT 06051, or to CT Lions Eye Research Foundation, P.O. Box 9268, New Haven, CT 06533. At this time Vin?s family would like to thank the entire staff at the In-patient Rehab Unit at The Hospital for Special Care, and the Critical Care Unit at New Britain General Hospital for their dedication, compassion, and professionalism in providing him with such outstanding care. The family is also grateful for the many cards, prayers, phone calls, and visits that lifted his spirits and brought him much comfort.