Obituary of Roger Bertram Friend

Roger Bertram Friend passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 2, 2019 at Yale New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital with his entire family by his side. He was the son of Dr. Roger B. Friend and Irene (Kiley) Friend, and was predeceased by his wife Diane Friend in 2011. Roger was born in New Haven, CT on January 29, 1937, and grew up in Hamden, CT where he attended Hamden Hall Country Day School. He graduated from Quinnipiac College in 1960, and built a 50 year career working in the scrap metal recovery industry for Anaconda, Vulcan Materials, AMAX, and AMG Resources. 

 

Roger was a gregarious individual who always made time for friends, colleagues, and those in need. He would strike up a conversation with anyone at anytime, and could bring a smile to everyone's face with a short story or life event anecdote of which there were many. Roger's greatest love was his wife Diane to whom he was married to for 52 years prior to her passing. His lifetime source of joy and inspiration were his children and his grandchildren, whom tested his intellect and kept him 80 years young.

 

Roger is survived by his children Warren Friend and wife Holly, Cynthia Morris, and Michele Berardo and her husband Scott. He is also survived by his eight loving grandchildren Robert, Christopher, Ryan, Opel, Patrick, Elise, Caroline, and Matthew. Roger will also be truly missed by his several nieces, nephews, and godchildren to which he provided years of fatherly advice, bear hugs in times of trouble, and shelter from any storm in the most critical of times.

 

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 5, 2019 at the Huntington Congregational Church United Church of Christ in Shelton, CT.

 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Huntington Congregational Church in the memory of Roger Friend.

 

The burial service will be private.