Jeffrey Cortese

Jeffrey Christopher Cortese, 27, of Stamford, CT passed away at Stamford Hospital on March 15, 2022 after a long and courageous battle with Glioblastoma. Jeff was born at Stamford Hospital on May 18, 1994. He attended Hart Elementary School, St. Gabe’s/Trinity Catholic Middle School and Trinity Catholic High Schools where he was a member of the National Honor Society and Captain of their Crusader Baseball, Football, and Hockey Teams. Jeff loved and lived for his sports from childhood and played for many years with the Stamford American Little League, Stamford Youth Hockey, Stamford Babe Ruth Baseball, American Legion Baseball and Stamford Youth Football. Jeff attended Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, graduating in 2016, with a degree in Economics and minor in Sociology. For the 4 years Jeff was on campus, he was a proud member and Chapter President of the Sigma Pi/Zeta Mu Fraternity. Jeff was a Spartan through and through! After graduation Jeff was employed as a Data Analyst with Ally Financial Corp. in Detroit, Michigan. He loved living in Michigan until his illness progressed and required him to move back home to Stamford to be surrounded by the support of his family and friends. Jeff loved to travel and after graduation from Michigan State he toured Europe just as he learned he was losing his vision, toured the Grand Canyon in Arizona with his brother Nick, visits to Chicago to visit his brother Vin and college friends, and Toronto with his buddies, as well as trips with family to the Dominican Republic. We wanted him to see the world and he travelled so courageously as a blind person! He always treasured the excitement of going to Monticello, Arkansas to play on the Stamford Babe Ruth 15’s World Series Game. Jeff is survived by his devoted and loving parents, Vincenzo (Vinny) and Geraldine (Gerri) Cocchiarella Cortese of Stamford, brothers Vincent and Nicholas (Michelle Haines Cortese), who loved and cared for Jeffrey until he breathed his last breath. He was adored by all his aunts, uncles, cousins, his Stamford “Framily”, along with his Fraternity Brothers and all who knew him. Jeff was predeceased by his paternal grandparents, Pasquale and Frances “Ducky” (Losito) Cortese of Greenwich, CT and his maternal grandparents, Jeremiah (Jerry) and Joan (Signore) Cocchiarella of Eastchester, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will held on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, at 11:00am at St. Leo Parish, 24 Roxbury Road, Stamford, CT. A private burial for family members will be held following. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to either the Stamford Hospital Bennett Cancer Center or The Rhodes Center for Glioblastoma at New York-Presbyterian. We have had so many doctors, nurses, therapists, and caretakers on “Team Jeff” to thank, from Michigan, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Stamford Hospital & Bennet Cancer Center, Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Fairfield and finally, Carl Altidor, his Personal Care Assistant. We will be indebted to them all forever. They allowed us to love, sing, dance and pray with Jeffrey up until his final days. To leave an expression of sympathy for the family online, please sign the family’s guestbook at www.bosakfuneralhomestamford.com or www.facebook.com/bosakfuneralhome.

Jeffrey Cortese

May 18, 1994 - March 15, 2022