Bradford James SMITH

1941 - 2015

Bradford "Butch" James Smith, 73, passed away peacefully at his home in Bristol surrounded by the love of his family on Saturday, May 9, 2015, after a courageous duration with cancer. He was married to the love of his life Anne Therese (Huet) Smith and together they shared 47 years of marriage. Born on December 4, 1941 in Bristol, he was the son of the late Edward and Dorothy (Johnson) Smith. Butch graduated from New Britain High School and then went on to serve his country proudly in the United States Air Force for four years. Most days, if you were looking for Butch, the first place you should start would be in his garage. There you would find him puttering around and sorting his nuts, bolts and screws which as a tool and die maker were the parts of the trade that fascinated him. Also in his garage, you would find his favorite car, his Corvette that he enjoyed driving and letting other friends and family drive so they could enjoy the experience. He had such a generous heart that extended to everyone he knew. He was the type of person who liked everyone he met and everyone liked him right back. If he wasn't in his garage, you might find him cheering for his favorite teams the Red Sox, Bruins and Notre Dame. He also enjoyed going fishing. Above all else, he loved his family and friends and will be dearly missed by all those who knew him. Besides his wife Anne, he leaves his son Russell E. Smith and his wife Monica of Lebanon; his daughter Jennifer DeIulis and her husband Carlo of Collinsville; his grandchildren Gabriel and Miles DeIulis, and Jessica Blancato; his great-granddaughter Arianna Blancato; his sister Linda Smith and her companion Greg Purvis; his brother James Smith and his wife Therese along with many loving nieces, nephews, neighbors, friends and extended family. He was preceded in death by his brother Edward Smith. The family would also like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the staff of Vitas Hospice and Polish Helping Hands for their care and compassion. A celebration of Butch's life will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2015 at 12:00 p.m. Noon at the O'Brien Funeral Home, 24 Lincoln Ave, Forestville/Bristol. Calling hours will be held on Saturday morning beginning at 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Burial will be held privately by the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Vitas Hospice, 199 Park Road Extension Suite 102, Middlebury, CT 06762. For online condolences, please visit www.obrien-funeralhome.com