Rutlage J. Brazee, 90, of 111 South Shore Drive, East Haven, passed away this past Sunday morning, August 19th, 2012. Rutlage was born in Torrington on March 23rd, 1922 to the late Walter Rutlage Brazee and Helen Pixley (Gleason) Brazee. He was a devoted husband of 67 years to his loving wife, Elena Cochiaro (deceased Feb. 24th, 2012) and father to Judith Ellen (deceased March 18th, 1995) and Rutlage Brian of Panama City Beach, FL. Brother to Andrew Jay (deceased), Kymson John, Marion Letitia Beringer and Jesse Dwight Brazee. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand- nephews. Rutlage served in the U.S. Navy Air Corps as a navigator during the Second World War in the Philippines and the east coast of the United States. Graduating in Geophysics from the University of Connecticut, Rutlage went on to become a world renowned seismologist, responsible for helping establish global earthquake detection systems, monitoring launch sites at Cape Canaveral and inventing an earthquake intensity scale to complement the magnitude measuring, Richter scale. He enjoyed oil painting, stamp collecting, carpentry, gardening and authored an adventure novel.
His funeral procession will leave the North Haven Funeral Home, 36 Washington Avenue, Thursday morning at 9:30. Family and friends may call from 8:30 to 9:30 am Thursday. A graveside funeral service with full military honors will follow in All Saints Cemetery.