The family of Fairfield University and Wayland man Alexander Dennis announced when his funeral will be held this month, according to an obituary from the John C. Bryant Funeral Home website.
On May 9, Connecticut state troopers received a call about a wrong-way Honda CRV driver on Route 15 south near Exit 53 around 1:45 a.m., according to the report. They were notified soon after that the SUV had become involved in a head-on crash with a Chrysler Town & Country.
Dennis, 21, was declared dead at the scene.
The minivan driver — 65-year-old Steven Rowland — and his two passengers, Thomas and Olga Vitale, 80 and 81, respectively — were also declared dead at the scene. All three were Easton, Connecticut, residents.
Visitation for Dennis will be held on Wednesday, May 29, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the John C. Bryant Funeral Home at 56 Pemberton Road in Wayland. The funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, May 30 at 5 p.m. at Good Shepherd Parish at St. Zepherin Church, 99 Main St. in Wayland. Dennis will be interred at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 31 at Lakeview Cemetary, at 80 Commonwealth Road in Wayland.
The funeral Mass will be livestreamed on goodshepherdwayland.org.
Born Sept. 10, 2002, and known affectionately “as Alex, he was a cherished son, brother, cousin, and friend. His silly sense of humor, vibrant eyes and smile and unwavering loyalty touched the lives of many,” his family wrote in the obituary.
“From an early age, he was happiest in creative activities and science exploration,” the obituary continued. “He would often get lost in Lego projects or explore the backyard with Mandy and friends. As a member of Troop One Cochituate, Alex was an enthusiastic Cub Scout and Boy Scout. He enjoyed the hands-on activities and camping trips, especially the annual summer camp at Yawgoog. During his elementary and middle school years, Alex participated in FIRST Lego League, a STEM program where teams build and program robots that complete game missions. The team won numerous awards and competitions, sparking his love for technology.”
Dennis trained in taekwondo and earned a black belt before he joined a youth wrestling program in Wayland, then progressed to join the wrestling team in high school, “a sport he loved,” the obituary said.
“Wrestling fulfilled his passion for individual competition while allowing him to enjoy the camaraderie of being part of a team,” his family wrote. “Through wrestling, Alex learned valuable life lessons such as hard work, discipline and appreciation for the underdog.”
Dennis also took part in FIRST Robotics as a member of Team 5735, known as “the Control Freaks,” according to his obituary. His participation was based on his love for the “technical aspects of building industrial-sized robots and the non-technical components of public speaking and fundraising,” his family said. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic kept him away from robotics, “he took solace in gardening, particularly growing peppers and tending to his beloved blueberry bushes and herbs,” his family wrote.
He joined wrestling as a freshman at Fairfield and became an active member of the Fairfield Car Club before he worked at Advance Auto Parts.
“Practically nocturnal, he didn’t mind working the closing shift,” his family said in his obituary.
Towards the end of his sophom*ore year, Dennis chose to be a Film, Television and Media Arts major and minor in Marketing, “a perfect combination of his love for technology, creativity and storytelling,” his family said.
“He was so happy on the beautiful campus with the close-knit community and caring professors,” according to his obituary. “He cherished school traditions such as Santacon and Clam Jam, and was so excited for senior year beach house. He had a wide circle of treasured friends whom he adored and loved.”
“Alex will be fondly remembered for his loyalty, dependability, approachability, and sense of humor,” his obituary went on. “A bright young man with a promising future, he touched many lives in his 21 years and will be deeply missed.”
Dennis is survived by his grandparents John and Audrey Chiricotti and John and Jean Dennis; godparents Jessica and Jason Griscavage, and their son, Alex’s cousin Joseph “Joey” Griscavage. The 21-year-old was “cherished by his extended family in Australia, Italy and Concord, Massachusetts,” according to his obituary.
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