Obituary of Bruce A. Rayner

Bruce A. Rayner, age 90, of Haddam passed away on Thursday morning, October 2, 2014 at the Middlesex Hospital in Middletown. He was the beloved husband of the late Mary (Calamari) Rayner who predeceased him on September 2, 2014. He was born in Hartford on September 9, 1924 and was lovingly raised along with his brothers in Chester by Jennie and William "Pop" Johnson. Bruce had resided in Haddam for the past two years and had been a resident of Chester for seventy- seven years. He was a graduate of Chester High School. Bruce proudly served his country during WWII in the U.S. Army as a member of Battery C 870th Field Artillery Battalion in Northern France. Following his return he and his beloved Mary were married in 1950 and shared sixty- four wonderful years together. Bruce was employed for many years in the brass manufacturing business and retired as a foreman at the Lake Eyelet Manufacturing Company in Southington. He was a member of the Chester Hose Company for sixty-three years of which many of those years he served as a trustee to the Department. Bruce was a communicant at Saint Joseph's Church in Chester, and a member of the Westbrook Lodge of Elks. He was a collector of fire department memorabilia, the proud owner of a 1924 Hupmobile and a member of the Hupmobile Club of America. He also was an avid New York Yankee and UCONN Women's Basketball fan. He is survived by his brothers, Robert, of Old Saybrook, Beryl, of Killingworth and Charles Rayner, of Deep River, his sister-in law, Hazel Negrelli, of Haddam, his nieces, Beth Wood and her husband Richard of Truro, Massachusetts, Wendy King and her husband John of Chester, and Toni Myers and her companion Ray Swol of Moodus. Bruce was also a special uncle to Edward and Alan Blaschik and Joanne Nichols all of East Haddam. He will also be missed by several grand and great-grand nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held on Sunday, October 5, 2014 from 2:00PM to 4:00PM at the Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home, 34 Main Street in Centerbrook. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, October 6th at 10:30AM at Saint Joseph's Church, 48 Middlesex Ave. in Chester. Committal Services with the Rendering of Military Honors will follow in the Resurrection Cemetery, Route 145 in Westbrook. Memorial contributions in Bruce's name may be made to the Chester Hose Company, P.O. Box 214, Chester, CT 06412. To share a memory of Bruce or to send a condolence to his family please visit www.rwwfh.com.