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Frederick Anthony Apuzzo of Branford passed away peacefully at his home shortly after 7:00 p.m. on Feb. 17 with family and friends by his side. As one of Fred’s closest and longtime friends, I would like to tell you a little bit about him. He was born on April 8, 1965, in New Haven and graduated from Branford High School in 1983. He was the son of the late Frederick M. Apuzzo of Branford and is survived by his mother, Anne Cubellotti and her husband John Cubellotti of West Haven; his brother and sister-in-law Jeffery and Thalia Apuzzo of Farmington; his nieces Victoria and Cassandra Apuzzo; and his half-sister Michelle Demezzo. He is also survived by numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

I met Fred when he was 13 years old. We were together just about every day of our lives. Fred was quite a prankster. When he was in seventh grade, he ignited a smoke bomb at school. This wasn’t some novelty smoke bomb. It was the kind boaters use when they are in distress. The orange smoke was so thick inside of the school that you couldn’t see five feet in front of you. For the next five days Fred and I spent a lot of time together. Fred was an easy going guy. He developed that bad habit of smoking cigarettes but unlike most people, he wasn’t committed to any one brand. When his father was around, Fred smoked Lucky Strikes. When he visited his mother, he smoked Kools. When he hung out with his friends, he would switch to whatever brand they smoked.

Fred loved to converse with anyone he met. He found the good in people. He was an extremely smart, caring, and personable guy and we spent many hours together with Fred doing most of the talking. He expanded my vocabulary and taught me to whistle. When I needed him, he was there. When he was having a bad day, I took him under my wing.

Fred had many interests and he made the most of his 51 years. He liked working outside, so he formed his own landscaping business. He was an avid boater, loved to ski, and enjoyed remote control planes and helicopters. He was a member of the Branford Elks Club. He loved tropical birds and fish. He enjoyed acting and his favorite character was “Squids Calamari,” a shady underworld crime figure. But what he enjoyed most was the company of his friends.

I passed away about five years ago so I wasn’t there when Fred became ill. I was, however, watching from a high perch above. Although at times very sick, Fred never complained and he fought as hard as anyone to be with each of you for as long as he possibly could. As his close friend, I would like to thank every one of you who supported Fred and cared for him throughout his life and especially during his illness. You are too numerous to mention but you know who you are, and each of you played a very unique role in making Fred’s life complete. I would also like to thank the wonderful people at both Smilow Cancer Hospital and Hospice of Branford.

Family and friends may call at the W.S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 N. Main St., Branford, on Feb. 22 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. A funeral procession will depart from W.S. Clancy on Feb. 23 at 9:15 a.m., followed by the Funeral Liturgy at St. Mary Church, 731 Main St., Branford, at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be in St. Agnes Cemetery in Branford. Fred asked me to let you know that although he loves flowers, he prefers that you make a donation to any of the following: The Branford Elks Club; Hospice of Branford; or a bird rescue organization of your choice. He also asked me to remind you that life is too short so enjoy it while you can. For directions or for an online memorial, visit www.wsclancy.com.

I am standing on his shoulder as you read this and we are both smiling down upon you.

Sincerely,

Otis “Otie” Bird