Obituary: Anselm "Big Ray" Rapino

Clancy Memorial Funeral Home

BRANFORD, CT - Anselm "Big Ray" Rapino of Branford died Saturday, February 8 at Apple Rehab in Guilford.

Ray was born in New Haven April 24, 1926 son of the late Gaetano and Annunziata Gaetano Rapino. He was a U. S. Army veteran of the Korean War. Ray worked as a machinist for Detroit Steel in Hamden for 17 years until retiring to start his own landscaping business, Ray's Lawn Service, in Branford.

He was very well known throughout Pine Orchard in Branford where he exclusively worked for over 42 years. Ray is survived by his children, Donna Rapino (Ole) Nielsen of Branford, Raymond Rapino of Branford and Sally Ann Rapino of North Branford; his grandson, Max Nielson; his niece Anna (Paul) Chouinard; nephews Anthony Santarcangelo and Paul (Ellen) Santarcangelo and their children Kristina and Eric Santarcangelo. He was predeceased by his sister Anna Santarcangelo and his nephew Peter Santarcangelo.

His funeral will leave the W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 North Main Street, Branford, Wednesday morning at 10:30 for a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Vincent DePaul Church of St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish, East Haven at 11:00. Burial will follow in St. Lawrence Cemetery, West Haven. Friends may call prior to the funeral from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959. For directions and online memorial see www.wsclancy.com.