Brian Robert Griffith

Brian was born on February 19, 1969, in Hartford, Connecticut, to the late Jim Griffith and his loving mother, Gail Griffith. Known affectionately by many as “The Viking,” Brian had an outsized love for life and an unmistakable presence that made every room brighter. He had a gift for making people laugh, telling unforgettable stories, and turning even ordinary moments into lasting memories.

Above all else, Brian cherished his family. He is survived by his wife, Theresa Mikulski Griffith, and their four children, Stephen, Kyle, Jack, and Ashleigh. Brian and Theresa were lifelong partners who first met at the University of Connecticut and were married on September 23, 1995. Together, they built a beautiful family where he shared three decades of love, laughter, adventure, and memories. He is also survived by his brother Michael Griffith and his wife Chrisanne and their three children, Mackenzie, Rylie, and Troy along with many loving, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Brian’s entrepreneurial spirit was evident from an early age. Even in high school, he started several businesses while excelling academically. He went on to attend the University of Connecticut, earning a Bachelor of Science in Finance in 1991.

Following graduation, Brian began a distinguished career with The Hartford, where he spent 23 years and held several senior executive positions. His leadership and contributions earned him the prestigious Chairman’s Award. In 2015, he joined QBE North America as Executive Vice President, overseeing North American field operations for five years. In 2020, Brian joined Berkley Aspire, a W.R. Berkley Company, where he served as President for the final six years of his career and received multiple President’s Awards recognizing his significant achievements and contributions.

Throughout more than 30 years in the insurance industry, Brian earned an impeccable reputation and, perhaps more importantly to him, built genuine and lasting relationships with countless agents, brokers, colleagues, and friends across the country. He believed deeply in people and understood that success was ultimately measured not only by what you accomplished, but by the relationships you built along the way.

Brian was an avid observer of life. He was curious, thoughtful, and never missed an opportunity to share his perspective or a lesson he had learned. He generously passed those lessons along to his friends, colleagues, and, most importantly, his family.

One of Brian’s greatest passions was storytelling. He would often gather his children and have each of them take a turn telling a story, teaching them that the ability to communicate, connect, and engage with others was an essential part of life and success. Brian was a master storyteller himself - and, as anyone who knew him would happily attest, he never believed the facts should stand in the way of a great story!

His greatest stories, however, were the ones he lived.

Brian approached life with optimism, positivity, faith, and an unwavering belief in making the most of every day. He was authentic, generous, passionate, and unapologetically himself. Whether through a conversation, a joke, a lesson, a story, or simply his larger-than-life personality, Brian had a remarkable ability to make every interaction memorable.

He leaves behind more than memories. He leaves behind lessons about how to live - with optimism, with courage, with humor, with faith, with generosity, and with an open heart. He leaves behind a family who will carry his love forward, children who will continue telling the stories he taught them to tell, and countless friends and colleagues whose lives were made richer simply because Brian was part of them.

Brian lived a life that was anything but ordinary. He loved deeply, laughed loudly, dreamed boldly, and made an unforgettable impression on everyone fortunate enough to know him.

The Viking may have left us, but his spirit, his stories, his laughter, and his love will live on in all of us.

He will be deeply missed, forever remembered, and always loved. In lieu of flowers the family asks that memorial contributions in Brian's honor be made to Mary's Place a Center for Grieving Children and Families at: www.marysplacect.org/donateonline

A visitation will be held at D'Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield, CT 06109 on Friday October 9, 2026, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Christ the King Parish-Church of the Incarnation, 544 Prospect St, Wethersfield on Saturday October 10, 2026, beginning at 10:00 am. All are asked to gather directly at the church the morning of Mass.

Burial will immediately follow at Rose Hill Memorial Park, 580 Elm St, Rocky Hill, CT 06067.

To leave a message of remembrance for the family please visit: www.desopofuneralchapel.com