Obituary of Raymond G. Podrebartz

Raymond George (Podrebarac) Podrebartz (Grof) 81, of Manchester passed away peacefully after breakfast on November 24, 2020 at Manchester Manor just hours after speaking with his wife. He was born October 2, 1939 in Hartford, son of the late George and Barbara (Evanusich) Podrebartz. He was raised in Hartford and after graduating from high school he proudly served his country in the United States Navy from 12 November 1959 - 25 October 1963. Raymond was stationed on the USS Boston CAG-1 flagship heavy cruiser- World’s First Guided Missile Cruiser that sailed the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, “sailed halfway around the world” and through the Arctic Circle on 20 September 1960. During October of 1962 Raymond and the USS Boston sailed to the Bay of Pigs. Raymond’s oral history of the Cuban Missile Crisis described events such as the alarm of general quarters “this is not a drill” as an unidentified aircraft flew above. Dressed in camouflage fatigues armed with a rifle and grenades, Raymond was one of several sailors on a 15 minute standby ordered by President Kennedy to storm the beach. Raymond took tremendous pride in his enlistment in the Navy aboard the USS Boston. Durning his time at sea Raymond was a missileer and had the distinct honor as the number one helmsman for two and a half years guiding his beloved Boston across the globe.

After his service he returned to Connecticut and wed the love of his life wife Anna (Carilli) Podrebartz on May 11, 1968. Raymond worked with his hands in several blue collar jobs. Although never formally trained, Raymond was well known for his craftsmanship at home as he constructed a fence for the yard, a shed (with multiple additions), a deck and of course many things mechanical. Raymond was fond of his carpentry as he built end tables, shelving and even a toy plane for his first grandson. Remarkably, the two walking canes he crafted in his shed several years ago were among the last requests for his bride to bring to him, as he believed he could still walk right up to his passing. Having a multitude of skill sets, Raymond installed numerous electrical outlets, wired his shed for power that still works to this day, and made plumbing repairs. Raymond fabricated different objects, most notably he bent iron into a close grip v-bar for cable rows and pull downs for the home gym.

He was employed as a Mechanic at the First National Supermarkets Warehouse for over 17 years. During his tenure at Finest Raymond became close friends with Ben Stulpin of Marlborough, CT who Raymond described as the best friend a man could ever have.

Before Raymond’s health declined he would putter in his shed, read from one of his many horse books, wrestle with his grandsons and romantically chase after his wife! He enjoyed old western movies, watching the New York Yankees and New York Giants. If you visited Anna and Raymond he would show you his Navy books. Friends of the family and visitors alike were treated to his pictorial on the Boston.
Raymond loved food: baked beans (with accompanied “loose board”), cider and donuts (jelly), hamburgers and hotdogs, seafood, bacon and eggs and his favorite Anna’s Pizza Restaurant House Special Pizza that he ate while in the hospital on his 81st birthday.

Raymond ruled with an iron fist in that every lesson to his children was of hard work, honesty, always doing what is right (no matter what others say), meaning what you say, and saying what you mean. Raymond’s illustration of an honest individual was a “firm handshake and look them in the eye.”

He was well known for his ‘colorful’ sayings, Navy stories and the gastrointestinal effects of all things food and coffee. Cantankerous to the end, he was a frequent caller of emergency services and vocalized colorful language to a chosen few. Fortunately for Raymond, he found the perfect respite at Manchester Manor, where nurses took a liking to Raymond, especially nurse Chastity who affectionately named him ‘Papa’ and treated him to donuts. Illness caused him to forget where he was; Papa requested his cowboy hat and cowboy boots. If you knew

Papa you knew “Anna was the center of his world.” Raymond constantly called out for the absolute love of his life, his Anna, the matriarch.
Along with his tough-as-nails wife, Anna, he also leaves his two children Sally A. Smith and Keith R. Podrebartz and his fiancee Jacqueline A. Middleton and their greyhound Stella (Pop’s buddy) two grandsons Jeffrey and Zachary Smith: two brothers Michael and Gary Podrebartz: and numerous relatives and friends.

The patriarch of the family Raymond lived as he left this world, on a full belly...steering the USS Boston eternally at sea...
At Raymond’s request funeral services are private under the care of the John F. Tierney Funeral Home, Manchester.

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