James R. Barrante PhD.

CHESHIRE – James R. Barrante, PhD, 81, passed away Tuesday, March 3, 2020, at Mid-State Medical Center. He was the beloved husband of Marlene Barrante.

Dr. Barrante was born April 30, 1938, in Torrington, the son of the late Joseph and Josephine (Pilonero) Barrante. He was raised in Torrington and graduated from Torrington High School, Class of 1956. He furthered his education, obtaining his Bachelor’s Degree at UCONN and his Doctorate in Chemistry from Harvard. He is a Professor Emeritus at Southern Connecticut State University, where he taught for 43 years and served as Department Chairman. He was a longtime Cheshire resident, moving to town over 50 years ago and was a founding family of St. Thomas Becket Church. He was an avid jazz pianist, model railroader, woodworker, and fisherman. A published author, Dr. Barrante had a reoccurring column in the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper.

Besides his wife of 54 years, Dr. Barrante is survived by his children Sharon Adkins and her husband Stephen of Bristol, Stephen Barrante and his wife Kristen of Milford, and Kimberly Barrante of Los Angeles, CA; his grandson Zachary James Adkins; his sister Dolores Poirier and her husband Maurice of Canton; as well as many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he is predeceased by his brother William T. Barrante Esq. and his sister-in-law Diane Barrante.

Arrangements – Funeral services will be held on Saturday March 7, 2020, with the funeral procession leaving the Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Cheshire, 615 S. Main St., at 11:30 am and processing to St. Bridget of Sweden Parish – St. Thomas Beckett Church, 435 South Brooksvale Rd., for a Mass of Christian Burial at 12pm. Burial will follow in Cheshire Hillside Cemetery. Calling hours will be held on Friday from 5 pm to 7 pm at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to ST. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Pl., Memphis, TN 38105.