Brian F. BARRABEE

BARRABEE, Brian F.

Brian Barrabee, 77, of Portland, CT died peacefully at home on May 23, 2013, surrounded by the love of his family. Brian was born on Dec. 7, 1935 in Manhattan. After spending his early years in New York, he moved to Hartford, where he graduated from Weaver High School in 1953. He attended the University of Connecticut graduating in 1957 with his degree in business. It was at UConn that he met Loretta Gaston. Brian and Loretta were married in 1958. They moved to Brooklyn where Brian began his career on Wall Street and they started their family. They moved back to Connecticut in 1964 settling in Simsbury in 1968 where they raised their family and actively participated in the community for over 30 years. In 2000 they left Simsbury moving to Glastonbury and then settling in Portland where they have lived since 2005. Brian was a self-made man who worked hard his entire life only just recently retiring in 2012. He loved running his insurance brokerage Diversified Individual Brokerage and enjoyed the camaraderie of his employees, business associates and clients. The last 25 years of his career he worked with his wife Loretta by his side. Brian also played hard. An avid golfer, racquetball and tennis player, he enjoyed competing in tournaments. He was a devoted follower of UConn basketball and imbiber of Dunkin Donuts coffee. Brian was blessed with many lifelong friends from childhood, college, and business, as well as the friendship of wonderful neighbors from Simsbury and Portland. He enjoyed an active life until the last year when his illness sidelined him. During that time he adapted surprisingly well and was appreciative of frequent visits from family and friends, most recently June and Jerry Lynne of Arizona and Bobbie and Alan Eisenstock from Los Angeles. He also was under the constant care of his devoted wife Loretta and caregiver Alison. Brian is survived by his wife of 55 years Loretta; and his children Lorraine Barrabee and her husband Alan Schwartz Ocio of San Francisco, CA, Linda Barrabee of Cambridge, MA and her partner Roger Sumner, and Diane Muller and her husband Chris of Boulder, CO. He is also survived by his grandsons, Ben Schwartz Ocio and Nathan Muller whom he adored and cherised his time with.
A celebration of Brian's life will be held this summer. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Brian's name to the The UConn Athletics Development Fund.