Peter was born on August 15, 1957, the middle child of Dr. and Mrs. William and Barbara Braell. He grew up in Palmyra and was an avid Boy Scout who enjoyed hunting for fossils, shells, butterflies, and rocks. Peter graduated from Palmyra-Macedon High School in 1975. He received his BS in Biology from SUNY Albany and his MS and PhD in Food Science & Technology from Cornell University. He married his beloved wife, Judy, in 1983. Over the years, Peter worked at the Geneva Experiment Station, PepsiCo, Bausch & Lomb (receiving a Distinguished Award of Excellence in Research & Development), and Medeva Pharmaceuticals/CellTech. In 2007, Peter was diagnosed with polycythemia vera, a debilitating bone marrow disorder. For years, he juggled doctor and phlebotomy appointments while being a talented family cook, keeping up with home repairs, watching PBS, and reading The Economist. Peter loved spending time at home with his family and cats, and especially looked forward to breakfasts of blueberry pancakes, homemade clove bread, and coffee.
Peter was a lifelong Tolkien fan who could quote long passages of The Lord of the Rings by heart. He loved learning about wildlife, marine biology, and deep-sea exploration. He liked action movies, lousy puns, and classic Seventies rock music. Peter enjoyed local history and was a member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and the Pilgrim Edward Doty Society. After an eighteen year struggle with polycythemia vera, Peter was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in February of 2025 and died six weeks later at Strong Memorial Hospital. Peter's family would like to thank his entire care team at Wilmot Cancer Center for providing excellent care for the duration of his illness.
Peter is survived by his wife Judy Braell of Palmyra; children Kristina (Kyle Beach) Braell of Marion, and Anthony Braell of Palmyra; siblings, Dr. William Braell of Newark, Teresa Braell of Penfield, Michael Braell of Palmyra, and Victoria (Steven) Rolfe of Cortland; niece Christine (Jacob) Riddle; nephew Braeden Rolfe, and many cousins and good friends.
Peter was predeceased by his middle child, Nicholas, who died of acute lymphocytic leukemia in 1994, and parents William and Barbara Braell.
Family and friends may gather for visitation from 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. on Thursday (May 1) at Murphy Funeral & Cremation Chapels, 123 E. Jackson St., Palmyra, N.Y. 14522. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday (May 2), 11 a.m. at St. John of Rochester, 8 Wickford Way, Fairport, N.Y. 14450, a luncheon will follow in the church hall. Peter will be laid to rest in Macedon Village Cemetery on Friday (May 2), please meet at the cemetery at 2 p.m. To leave the family an online condolence, please visit Peter's tribute wall www.murphyfuneralservices.com.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Wayne County Humane Society. Bake an apple pie for your family. Plant for pollinators. Protect the ocean. "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." - J.R.R.Tolkien
