Obituary: Neal Smith Brodsky of Southbury

Neal Smith Brodsky passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 6 in Durham, England.

A Southbury resident and a graduate of Pomperaug High School, Neal held a B.A. in English from Ithaca College and an M.A. in English from University College Dublin.

He was currently working on the completion of his Ph.D. in English at Durham University in Durham. He specialized in Medieval Studies, having cultivated a love of Old and Middle English while a student at Center for Talented Youth, to which he devoted many summers of study in his middle school and high school years.

A son, a brother, a friend. A scholar, a traveler and a man with a thirst for knowledge, he formed special friendships wherever he went, whether traveling in the U.S., Europe or China.

Neal was cherished and was cherished by a multitude of people around the globe. He was a lover of books, music, video games and all thing James Bond.

He hiked the Catskill Mountains and the West Highland Trail in Scotland and also enjoyed fishing and hunting locally and in the Catskill Mountains. He was most proud to be a great grandson of the 1934 Kentucky Derby winning jockey, Mack Garner.

He will be acutely missed by an extensive family. He was predeceased by his grandfathers, Edward Brodsky and Richard Smith, and also by his loving uncle, Richard Smith. He leaves behind his fiancee, Gao Qian of China and his parents, Edward and Sarah Brodsky of Southbury.

Among his numerous family members, he leaves his grandmothers, Lorraine Brodsky of Nettle's Island, Fla.; and Willis Smith of Memphis, Tenn.

He leaves his brothers Richard Brodsky and his partner Sharon Garret; Eric Brodsky and his partner Tracy Burdett and the niece he adored, Lila Eve Brodsky, all of Seattle, Washington. His many aunts and uncles include Terry and Michael Lucash of Granby, Connecticut; Ellen Smith of Hamden, Connecticut; Jeff and Ginger Smith of Mt Julliette, Tenessee; Jane and Don Eschelweck of Memphis; Mark Smith of Indianapolis and Susan Hoffhiemer of Cincinnati.

Among his favorite cousins were Perrin Ventress of Boston; Garrett Lucash, also of Boston; Christopher Smith of Cincinnati; Jessie Braden of Brooklyn; Jeffrey Smith of Duluth; William Smith of Memphis; Catherine Smith of Starkeville, Mississippi; Sean Eschelweck of Starkville, Mississippi and Ricky Smith of Dayton, Ohio.

Services:  A memorial service will take place at Munson-Lovetere Funeral Home, 235 Main St. North, Southbury, at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23.

Visitation:  Sunday, Feb. 23, from 1 p.m. until the time of service at 3 p.m. All are invited to share their remembrances of Neal or offer a reading in his name.

Requested dress will be white T-shirts and jeans if you are feeling casual.