Hamden Obituaries: Attorney Frank Raio, 53

Frank Joseph Raio, 53, of Hamden, died suddenly in Worcester, MA on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2013.

Frank was born in New Haven on July 3. 1960, a beloved son of the late Frank Louis and Mary Gassira Raio, and was a lifelong Hamden resident. He served as assistant coach as well as associate head coach for the Albertus Magnus men’s soccer team since the program’s inception in 1990.

Frank began his coaching career at Albertus, and remained with the men’s soccer program for more than 20 years. He was a part of both Grant Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men’s soccer championship titles in 1996 and 2012.

He was an associate professor at Albertus Magnus and taught First Amendment Law since 2002. He was an attorney at Biller, Sachs, Raio & Zito, Attorneys at Law in Hamden since 1993, becoming partner for them in 1999.

Frank was a four-year starting defender at Brandeis University from 1979-1982 and helped lead his team to four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, as well as the title game as a junior. He was named an All-New England selection in 1981 and is still among the top-20 on Brandeis University’s scoring list.

He received his B.A. in sociology from Brandeis in 1983 and earned his J.D. from Quinnipiac University in 1991. In 2006, Frank was inducted into the Brandeis Hall of Fame and in 2008, he was inducted into the Hamden High School Hall of Fame.

Frank was a member of the New Haven Bar Association, the Connecticut Bar Association, and the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association.

Frank is survived by his loving sister Laura Rodriguez and her husband José of Hamden, two loving nephews, Joaquin Rodriguez and his wife Carolyn of North Haven and Javier Rodriguez of Hamden, and two beloved great-nephews, Mateo and Marcos Rodriguez of North Haven. He is also survived by many friends at Albertus Magnus College and Brandeis University, and at the Law Firm of Biller, Sachs, Raio & Zito.

Frank’s family will receive relatives and friends on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Washington Memorial Funeral Home, 4 Washington Ave., North Haven. Everyone is invited to go directly to St. Stephen Church, 400 Ridge Rd., Hamden on Saturday for a Mass of Christian Burial which will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will be private.

Memorial contributions in Frank’s name may be sent to the Frank J. Raio Scholarship Fund, c/o Hamden High School, 2040 Dixwell Ave., Hamden, CT 06514. www.washingtonmemorialfh.com