Betty J. Branchini Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Betty (Buddy) J. Branchini, age 95, passed away on Wednesday, October 19, 2016, in New Haven. Born in New Haven, Ct. on March 9, 1921, Betty, lived in Ct. her whole life. She was the daughter of the late Frank and Adriana DiLorenzo of New Haven, who immigrated from Naples, Italy. Buddy, as she was known by her family and friends, enjoyed many activities. She was a dedicated jigsaw puzzler, using 500-1500 pieces. Her completed puzzles ranged from the simple to the complex: Monet’s “The Water-Lily Pond,” a Jackson Pollock or a simple New York skyline. A puzzle was always on her kitchen or dining room table; it became a family activity. She was an avid bird-watcher and bird-lover, one who enjoyed reading and collecting bird anthologies. She also enjoyed reading modern fiction and her favorite authors were Nicholas Sparks and Janet Evanovich. During baseball season, Betty would never miss the Mets games on television. Conversant with the names and statistics of the team, she impressed her family with her knowledge of the sport. At the age of 90, she bought herself an iPad and learned how to email in order to correspond with her family and friends. She also had her own cellphone, with which she learned to take photos of the wild turkeys and deer in her backyard. Buddy was an excellent cook; everything was made from scratch, ranging from traditional recipes to testing new ones and even inventing some of her own. If she could have lived her life again, she would have gone to culinary school. Betty spent many years working in the shoe department at Malley’s. She often received recognition for her outstanding customer care and service. For more than 30 years, she volunteered her time at the Barn Sale in Hamden, a charitable, non-profit agency. She worked alongside her sister Ann Klimczak, the manager, and enjoyed a special circle of “Barn-lady” friends. Betty is survived by her two daughters: Marie García-Abrines, Professor Emerita of SCSU of New Haven and Alberta (Ralph) Gagliardi of Vero Beach, Florida. Her grandchildren are Robert (Sara) Gagliardi, Jill (Joseph) Smith, Gina (Robert) DeFiore, Mark (Penny) Gagliardi, Linda (John) Isaacs and Alicia (Paolo) Romanacci. Her great-grandchildren are: Jarrod, Jenna, Brianna, Bryan, Masen, Olivia, Nicholas and Beck. While Betty lived most of her life in Hamden, Ct., at the age of 90, she moved to Orange, Ct. to be close to her family. The Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, November 3, at 10:00 a.m., in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, 2819 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, Ct. www.siskbrothers.com

Betty J. Branchini

March 9, 1921 - October 19, 2016