Obituary of Richard A. Brayer

A. Richard “Dick” Brayer, 87, of St. Petersburg, Florida passed away on May 10th, 2019, surrounded by his loving family. Born in Rochester, NY, Dick spent most of his life residing in Simsbury, CT and recently moved to St. Petersburg FL with his wife, Faith to be closer to their children and grandchildren. After receiving his PhD in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Dr. Brayer taught psychology, becoming a beloved and highly respected professor for 41 years at the University of Hartford in West Hartford, CT.

      Aside from teaching, he was an active faculty member at U of H. He was chairman of the Athletic Committee, on the Academic Standing Committee, Advisor to incoming freshmen, advisor and member of Psy Chi, and after retirement, he was on the board of the Emeriti Community. However, he was humbly most proud of being the recipient of the Roy Larsen Award for Excellence in Teaching.

      In addition to the University, Dick was a loving husband and father, who was well-versed in the art of making hilarious “Daddy jokes,” an avid reader, an admired gardener, who enjoyed traveling around the US and abroad.

      Dick was the only child of the late Albert and Helen (Snyder) Brayer. He is survived by his wife, Faith, his son Jason (Cindy) Brayer, daughter Heidi (Jon) Yablonski, and his three grandchildren Zachary, Lexi, and Kaitlyn Brayer who brought him hours of joy and love.

       A tribute and celebration Dick’s life will be held June 15, 2019 at 3pm at the Blackburn Chapel at Westminster Shores, 56th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Parkinson’s Foundation, the American Heart Association, or to the A. Richard Brayer Student Development Fund #52600. This fund benefits undergraduate psychology majors for research, attendance at conferences, financial aid, etc.