BRAHENY, Cecelia 1914-2005

BRAHENY, LUTH, COLSCH

Posted By: K. L. Kittleson
Date: 11/6/2007 at 05:24:01

Cecelia (Colsch) Braheny, age 90, formerly of Osage, Mitchell County, Iowa, died on January 19th, 2005 in Elgin Il.

Cecelia was born on November 27, 1914 in New Albin, Iowa, the daughter of Leo and Nellie (nee Luth) Colsch. She graduated from the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Mason City, Iowa. Following graduation she was the supervisor/instructor of the Pharmacy of Mercy Hospital in Fort Dodge, Iowa.

She married William Barry Braheny on September 20, 1937.

She was a member of the Anatomical Gift Association of Illinois, where she requested her body be given for medical research. A memorial Mass was said in West Dundee shortly after her passing, and on October 23rd prayers were said at Sacred Heart Church followed by a private burial service at Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery Osage, Iowa.

After caring for her children, she resumed her nursing career and also enrolled in Elgin Community College in 1958. She was an American Red Cross Nurse and a member of the American, Iowa, and Illinois Nursing Associations until her retirement in 1983.

During her eight years in Osage Iowa, and twenty-one years in Elgin, she was an active member in many community organizations including charter member, elected officer or board member of: Catholic Daughters, United Way (received citation for community action), "Fish", St Mary's Parish Council, St. Mary's Women's Club, Pro-Life Repre-sentative of St Mary's, Ladies of the Elks, VFW Auxiliary, League of Women Voters, Girl Scout and Cub Scout Leader, Meals on Wheels, Fox Hill Home Batavia, Elders (which later became Elgin Senior Center), Visiting Nurses, North Iowa Hospice (following study with Elizabeth Kubler-Ross), and Fox Valley Hospice.

Surviving are two sons, John (JoAnn) Braheny of Canyon Country, California; Kevin Braheny of Alta, California; a daughter, Mary Braheny of Redondo Beach, California, three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mary Mackin RN of Osage, and Ellen Anderson RN of Mason City, Iowa. She has 14 Godchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1993, by her son, Danny in 1997, by her granddaughter Catherine (Braheny) Rahn in 1994, and by three brothers: Peter Colsch in 2005, John and Alfred Colsch.

Memorials may be made to Covenant House-Times Square Station, P.O. Box 731, New York, NY 10108, or St Catherine of Sienna School, 845 W. Main St., West Dundee, IL., 60118

NOTE: See tombstone photo in GPP collection.