Jerome "Jerry" Braff

Jerome “Jerry” Braff, 93, passed away on the morning of October 10, 2019 at his home in Newport Beach, California. Present were his daughter, Elisabeth “Liza” Ryan and Jerry’s son-in-law, Fred Ryan. Liza moved in with Jerry in 2016 to assist with the obstacles that people often face later in life. Jerry had two grandchildren, Samantha and Randy. He had two step-grandchildren, Luke Ryan and Kelly Bardakjian. He was predeceased by his son, Andy, his former wife, Renee Gates, and his sister, Elaine Grollman.

Jerry was born in Cambridge, MA. He was a WWII veteran, serving with the Army Air Force. After the war, he graduated from Colby College which set the foundation for a successful life in business. Jerry owned and operated Formaid Corporation, an import/export business located in Hyde Park, MA. He married Renee Gates and the couple raised two children, Andy and Liza. Although Renee and Jerry divorced, they continued to remain influential and active in their children’s lives and into their grandchildren’s lives.

Jerry enjoyed giving back; His volunteer hours spanned over 30 years and were given to SNA Airport (aka John Wayne Airport), Newport Beach Library, and Hoag Hospital up until the end of 2018.

Jerry’s interests focused on the here and now, his family and friends. He had an extraordinary life, collecting fantastic stories along the way. His stories included conversations he enjoyed having with Barbara Walters’ mother while he impatiently waited for Barbara to prepare for their dates. A favorite story included the friendship he developed for decades with Salvador Dali. When not telling stories, Jerry often entertained friends and family with his extraordinary ability to play the piano, which he did solely by ear.

Tennis was Jerry’s favorite sport to play and spectate, although when he played he often had difficulty properly focusing on the location of the boundary lines. He was a relentless competitor on the court, not a powerhouse, but a wall-like defensive player, a strategy that successfully frustrated his opponents. Jerry made many life-long friends on the court.

Jerry was a man of routine. Each night he scanned his calendar, planning his next day before bed. Each day, he completed both the New York Times and Los Angeles Times crossword puzzles. He smoked three cigars a day, one after each meal. Jerry hit the gym regularly and even sported abs into his eighties. Jerry would have been insulted if someone described him as patient. He consumed life by devouring each minute.

One of Jerry’s activities was travel. It was a challenge to name places he did not visit. One of his most favorite trips to make, other than London, was New York City. Annually, he would meet his sister, Elaine, and the siblings would stake out their Broadway shows for the week. It was an activity they continued well into their eighties.

Jerry was asked about what words would best describe him in his obituary. He joked that no bad people ever die from the obituaries you read. His suggestion, “Just tell the truth.” Truth is, Jerry was a fun guy, an intelligent human being, a caring and loving father/grandfather, and a man that left this world a better place.

There will be a graveside service at Sharon Memorial Park in SHARON, MA on Wednesday, October 16, 2019 at 12:45 PM.

At Jerry's request, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sea Crest Hospice Services of Orange County or The Sara N. Grollman Memorial Fund for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Arrangements under the direction of Stanetsky Memorial Chapel, www.stanetskybrookline.com.