Dr. Timothy Blair

Tim, born in New Britain, Conn., on Oct. 23, 1946 was the son of John Robert and Jane Helen Rawlings Blair. He grew up on Barbour Road where his love of golf and his keen interest in lifelong learning were nurtured. Tim graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School where he met the love of his life and his soulmate, Jeanne Brusek.

Tim and Jeanne were married at Sacred Heart Church in New Britain. The couple had two children, Timothy Burns and William Edward, and relentlessly pursued their dreams for the next 48 years. Traveling the world many times over, spending time with their growing family, and developing new interests and passions throughout their life, such as a love of fine wines, their marriage was an inspiration.

Tim’s optimism, contagious smile, and passion for life were ever-present, particularly with his family as he beamed with pride as a spouse, father, and grandfather. He adored his daughters-in-law.

Mentored by his maternal grandmother, educational pioneer Helen Rawlings, Tim earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Central Connecticut State College. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois.

Tim enjoyed an acclaimed career as a professor at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, the University of Florida, Texas A&M University, and the University of Central Florida (UCF). Tim also authored or co-authored ten books, published hundreds of research papers, and was a frequent keynote speaker at conferences around the world. He received the University of Illinois Distinguished Alumni Award.

His devotion to teaching led him to create the UCF/Jackson Center Reading Camp in Orlando. The camp provided free reading instruction to more than 3,000 inner city children, mentoring for their parents, and training for a generation of educators. The City of Orlando honored his efforts by proclaiming March 25, 2013 as Timothy Blair day.

Tim is preceded in death by his brother, John Howard, and his parents. He is survived by his wife Jeanne and their sons, Timothy Burns and his wife Donna, of Hinsdale, Illinois, and William Edward and his wife Tara, of Fort Worth, Texas. He is survived by his grandsons Andrew Charles and Christian Thomas of Hinsdale, and Wyatt Edward and Carson William of Fort Worth. He is also survived by his brother, Robert Joseph and his wife Janet, of New Rochelle, N.Y., and Susan Blair of Wethersfield, Conn. Tim is also survived by his beloved father-in-law Edward Brusek of New Britain, cousins Fran Walker of New Britain and Nancy Mulcahy of Glastonbury, Conn., as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Calling hours will be on Sunday, June 26 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Baldwin-Fairchild Funeral Home in Oviedo, Fla. In New Britain, Conn., on Tuesday, June 28 there will be a viewing from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at New Britain Memorial Funeral Home, 444 Farmington Ave.New Britain followed by a funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church. Burial will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery, New Britain. For directions or online messages, please visit www.newbritainsagarino.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be directed to support the cancer research of Dr. Dan Laheru at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. Gifts can be made online at www.hopkinskimmelcancercenter.org. For gifts by mail, please make checks payable to Johns Hopkins University with a memo indicating that the gift is to benefit Dr. Dan Laheru's research, and mail to the Kimmel Cancer Center Development Office, 750 East Pratt Street, Suite 1700, Baltimore, MD 21202.