Fran Rio graduated from Berlin High in 1956. He was a three sport athlete participating in basketball, football, and baseball. In basketball he was a co-captain in his senior year averaging 12 points. He was considered one of the outstanding performers in the 1954 Class C tournament.

In his football career he played both defense as a safety and on offense as a running back. In his senior year he scored the extra point against Farmington to secure a tie and save the 1956 undefeated football season. He received the CIAC Award of Merit for football in 1955.

He was a four year member of the baseball team hitting .411 with seven home runs during his senior year. Fran was the only athlete to receive three varsity sports letters in his sophomore year.

Fran was also active in the school community as class vice president for three years, three year member of the Key Club, and sports editor of the yearbook. Upon graduation he went to CCSU where he played basketball for one year before transferring to Fairfield University where he received his under graduate degree and going on to Fordham where he received his Masters degree.

Fran served two years in the Army after graduation. He was active in the community where he was a Little League coach and served on the Berlin Board of Selectmen. He worked for the Department of Defense for five years and had a successful career as contract manager for Raymond Engineering.

Over twenty years ago he organized and still manages a racquetball league and still plays five days a week at 5AM. He is referred to as “speedy Fran Rio”. Fran is married to Mary Ann Wilson Rio and has five children, Kim Rio a veterinarian in Berlin, Francis III an attorney in New Mexico, Dale a photographer in Philadelphia and New York City, Brian an English teacher in New Hartford, N.Y., and a former manager with the NBA of NYC, and Kevin a PHD student at Brown.