Russell Forbes Broderick

Russell Forbes Broderick, 94, of Welles Country Village, died Thanksgiving morning, Nov. 27, 2014.

He was born on Feb. 18, 1920, in Middletown, the son of Sarah (Brooks) and Joseph Broderick. He was a dedicated liberal enjoying a lifespan starting with the women's right to vote in the year of his birth through 50 years of progressive administrations focused on civil and human rights, reasonable corporate regulations, labor rights, and protections and dignity of the elderly with the passage of the Social Security Act. In the aftermath of World War II it was learned that wars in a civilized world are never a solution, with the only beneficiaries being the military industrial complex. The Marshall Plan turned our enemies into allies and instigated the founding of the United Nations. He was never forgetful that the founding fathers were liberals, as well as Christ. He was a member of the National and State Democratic parties, the ACLU, and NOW. Under liberal administrations all Americans benefited. The wealthy got wealthier, the middle class enriched, and the poorest were provided thoughtful help. He was raised and schooled in New Haven until the premature death of his father. He then moved in with his older sister Florence Deppen and graduated from White Plains High School. Like many in the Depression he worked two jobs - days as a law clerk in Manhattan and evenings and weekends at Schrafft's in White Plains. With the advent of World War II he followed a neighbor and friend to Pratt & Whitney, where he was employed in the materials control lab. There he met and married Marjorie McCormick prior to being drafted into the Air Force at Drew Field Base Hospital in Tampa as a lab technician for the duration of the war. He returned briefly to P&W before becoming purchasing agent at Nelco Tool Co. in Manchester. While acquiring a degree in business administration from evening classes at University of Hartford, he founded Acme Business Service in Manchester. At this time he was instrumental in the reorganization of the Main Street Merchants Association into what is now the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce to include the entire business and professional community. Acme Business Service was the builder of the first all electric office building in Connecticut, located on East Center Street in Manchester. In his early business and family life he was on the vestry of St. Mary's Episcopal Church and a member of Kiwanis International. At this time Manchester was booming with the construction of the Parkade and several residential developments. In order to participate and contribute, he organized and published the first regional direct-mail advertising newspaper, Eastern News, which was circulated to 35,000 families every Wednesday to every bordering town. With his growing interest he became the director of Prestige Industrial Park in East Hartford and then founded R.F. Broderick and Associates at Constitution Plaza in Hartford. With a growing family and the addition of an elderly mother and aunt, he purchased the abandoned Copping Cider Mill at the corner of Vernon and Taylor streets in Manchester and converted it into the large residential home it is today. R.F. Broderick founded and developed Parkcentre in South Windsor and was designated by the city of Hartford to develop Metropolitan Centre to the rear of Hartford City Hall. In addition to these two major projects, plans were underway for a planned community to be known as Glastonbury Hills. Unfortunately RF Broderick could not withstand the reversal in the business climate, and because of being unincorporated and a sole proprietor he had to seek protection under the bankruptcy laws. The granting federal judge remarked that this necessary relief was as honorable as any in his court's experience. In semi-retirement he was associated with Krause Cars in Vernon and Northampton and Dudley, Massachusetts.

He is survived by his best friend Marjorie Broderick; his two daughters, Pamela Broderick and her husband, Roger Fisher, and Laurie May and her partner, Daniel Tricarico; his five grandchildren, Melina Quaglia Usher, Barrett Quaglia, Lindy Quaglia, Etta Jo O'Reilly, and Fiona Fisher; and nine great-grandchildren, including his namesake, Broderick Usher. In addition to his parents he was predeceased by his two sisters, Florence Deppen and Katherine Hynes.

Calling hours will be on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2014, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Holmes Funeral Home, 400 Main St. Manchester.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial with military honors will follow in East Cemetery, Manchester.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Welles Country Village, 46 Welles Road, Vernon, CT. 06066.

This obituary was written by Russell prior to his death, in 2006.

To leave an online condolence, visit

www.holmes-watkinsfuneralhomes.com