Justin Michael Raffaeli
1/8/1990 - 5/4/2021
Justin Michael Raffaeli, 31, of Stamford, Connecticut, passed away on May 4, 2021. He was born on January 8, 1990 in Stamford, the son of C. Cathleen Raffaeli of Boca Raton, Florida and John J. Raffaeli, Jr. of Corolla, North Carolina. For the last 6 years, Justin worked at Credit Suisse Bank; most recently as Assistant Vice President of Regulatory Affairs. Prior to that, Justin was enrolled in the Mountbatten Internship Programme as a full-time Intern at Credit Suisse in London, England, where he simultaneously pursued an MBA in International Business from England’s St. Mary’s University and earning a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from the University of Oxford’s Said Business School. He finalized his MBA, conducting field research and completing a Certificate in Asian Studies, in Bangkok, Thailand. Justin received a Bachelor of Arts from St. Lawrence University, completing a double major in Government (emphasis in Asian Studies) and History. He competed on the Men’s Crew team and was a member of the freshmen crew that won the New York State Rowing Championship. He also volunteered with the Commons College Project raising funds and awareness of underprivileged children in Africa. Justin’s summer internships included the law firm Kelly, Drye & Warren, LLP; Mandarin studies at Shanghai University in China; and a Human Resources assignment at the world headquarters of Thomson Reuters. Justin attended high school at Kent School in Kent, Connecticut, where he participated in numerous leadership and competitive endeavors, including Varsity Crew, where he competed in the Henley Royal Regatta in England, was elected CoCaptain and was a member of the Connecticut State Championship crew. At Kent School, he was elected a Student Prefect, appointed to the Senior Council and named Head Campus Tour Guide. Prior to entering Kent School, Justin was an elite youth hockey player, having been named to ‘Team New York’. In addition to being an accomplished athlete, Justin was an avid sports fan, and was known by all for his kindness and determination. As a teenager, Justin traveled to Mali, Africa to participate in the construction of one of five buildOn schools funded by his family. In recognition of Justin’s commitment to the Mission of buildOn, coupled with his interest and experience in Asia, a school in Nepal is being dedicated by buildOn to his memory. Having suffered concussions as an athlete, Justin was sensitive to the growing science regarding the long-term, tragic side effects of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Justin’s brain tissue was donated to the Concussion Legacy Foundation who, in partnership with Boston University and the CTE center, are conducting state-of-the-art scientific research. The Concussion Legacy Foundation’s mission is to end CTE through prevention and research. Donations in Justin’s memory can be made to the Concussion Legacy Foundation at: https://give.classy.org/JustinMichaelRaffaeli. In addition to his parents, Justin is survived by a brother, John III (Kelsie), of New Canaan, Connecticut and by his maternal grandmother, Carolyn Hamilton of Havre de Grace, Maryland. He was a loving uncle to Luca and Gianna, and savored his deep relationships with his aunts, uncles, cousins and numerous friends. Justin’s younger brother, Jason, passed away in 2018. Earlier this week, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Pope Francis’ United Nations Envoy, celebrated a Mass for Justin in New York City. A viewing will be held on Friday, May 14, 2021, from 12-1 PM, at Smith’s Chapel UMC, 3109 Churchville Road, Churchville, MD. Funeral services will begin at 1:00 p.m. For those who cannot attend, services will Livestreamed via Facebook @ Zellman Funeral Home, P.A., or on Justin’s obituary page at www.zellmanfuneralhome.com. Justin will be laid to rest next to his brother in the Smith’s Chapel Cemetery in Churchville, Maryland. Online condolences may be made at www.zellmanfuneralhome.com.