Obituary of Berard J. Braganza

Berard “Barry” John Braganza, son of the late Leopold and Sophia Braganza was peacefully called to God on April 23, 2018 at the age of 88.  He was one of 11 children and resided in Bandra (Bombay), India throughout his childhood.  He and his siblings were accomplished in their chosen fields and were devoted Jesuits of the Catholic faith who educated and continue to serve the people of India.  Barry moved to England where he completed his honors degree in Mechanical Engineering from Loughborough College of Technology, Leicestershire in 1956.  He then moved to the United States where he initially made his home in Gallatin, TN, working for Combustion Engineering.  There, he met one of his lifetime friends, Robert Pavone.  He was eternally grateful to Bill and Martine Kendall and the Chaffin family who gave him an opportunity to live and work in the U.S.  Barry relocated to Connecticut with Combustion in the early 1960s and accepted an engineering position with Torin Corporation.  He completed his Master of Science degree in Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1968.  After his career with Torin, he applied his engineering and teaching skills to the insurance field, working at Aetna Insurance Company in Hartford, and later at the University of Tennessee in Memphis.

Barry raised his family in Avon, Connecticut.  He leaves his 2 children, Dev Andreas Braganza of Kailua, Hawaii and Rohini Braganza Hurlbut, husband Steven, of Tolland, CT and three cherished granddaughters, Gabrielle Elisabeth, Alyssa Caroline, and Natalie Jane Hurlbut.  He is also survived by 2 sisters, Srs. Mary and Celia Braganza (RSCJ) of Pune, India, and many nieces and nephews residing throughout India, Europe and the U.S.  He was predeceased by 6 brothers and 2 sisters.

Barry enjoyed the outdoor life.  His hobbies included fishing and hunting with his son Dev, gardening, cooking, and hiking many wooded trails with his family.  He was an avid bird and animal-lover and taught his children many interesting facts about nature.  He also enjoyed wood-working, automobiles and home-improvement projects.  He met many of his Connecticut friends through the Mountain Laurel Ski Club and he was active in the Hartford Saengerbund, Church of St. Ann, Avon, CT, and his various places of work.  He was especially close with his circle of friends in Memphis, TN, where he lived for a period of time near his youngest brother and sister-in-law, Claude and Astrid Braganza.

Barry will always be remembered by his family as a spirited, hard-working, humorous, and generous father, brother, Papa, and friend.  He loved to garden and share his cooking with others, especially Indian food and other international specialties.  His recipes will live on through his children and friends.  His granddaughters will remember his continued support of their education, sports, theater and singing performances, recitals, and other school events throughout the years.  He loved and supported them in their endeavors and was so very proud to call them his little girls.

A special thanks to the staff at Manchester Arbors and Manor and all of his caregivers.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00PM on Tuesday, May 29, 2018 at the Church of the Assumption, 29 South Adams Street, Manchester, CT 06040.  The John F. Tierney Funeral Home has care of the arrangements.

To remember Barry, please consider a donation to the Parkinson’s Foundation:  200 SE 1st Street, Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131, or (online here).  For online condolences, please visit www.tierneyfuneralhome.com.