Obituary: Robert Joseph Brought, Sr.

Robert Joseph Brought, Sr. died at his home on Sept. 11, 2013 after a long illness. Bob was born on Sept. 3, 1929 in Marlborough NY to the late Elias and Bertha (Van Leuven) Brought.

In 1938, Bob moved to Cornwall-on-Hudson NY. He loved to play baseball, soccer and tennis as a boy, while working on the farmland and going to school. He also loved hunting and fishing and hiking on Storm King Mountain near West Point. During the war years he would go to West Point, watch the cadets in training and attend their parades and football games.

He worked in a carpet mill for a time and then at Sweet-Orr Textile Co. in Newburgh NY, makers of blue jeans. In 1957 Bob, his parents and brother Frank moved to Danbury where he worked at Messinger Manufacturing Co., making bicycle seats for 25 years. He also worked for various cleaning companies. In 1960 he met the love of his life, Doris Jean Gilbert and they married in 1961.

Their son Bob Jr. was born in 1962. In 1979 he started working at WCSU and retired from there in 1995. After retirement, not one to sit still, he worked at the O’Neill Center until 2005. He always loved sports, especially the NY Yankees, Danbury Westerners, NY Giants and NY Rangers. He had a passion for the races at the Danbury Racearena and attended their reunions.

He and his son Bob Jr were always seen together, whether at flea markets, car shows, softball, baseball games or doing baseball card shows. Bob Sr loved to talk and be sociable with people. He, like his brother Frank, played steel guitar. He was a member of the Mill Plain Independent Hose Co. No. 12 and a member of the Connecticut Cruise News Minuteman Riders.

He leaves his wife of 52 years, Doris Brought, his son Robert Brought Jr, sister-in-laws Patricia Merritt Brought, Carolyn Morgado, brother-in-law John Gilbert and his wife Brenda, numerous nieces and nephews. Special thanks to Beverly McNamare, Christina Pinet and Renee Schrack for the care they provided to Bob Sr at home during his illness and for making the last few months of his life comfortable.

Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, William, Al, Virgil, Vincent, Harry and Frank, and his sisters Hester, Laurie and Loretta.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Mill Plain Independent Hose Company No. 12.