Carolyn J. Braasch (76) of Effingham

Carolyn J. Braasch, 76, of Effingham, entered the Kingdom of Glory on Christmas Day, Monday, December 25, 2017, at HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital in Effingham.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, December 29 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Effingham. Burial will be in Arborcrest Memorial Park in Effingham. Visitation will be from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday at the church and also from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service Friday at the church. Services are in the care of Johnson Funeral Home in Effingham. Memorials may be made to St. John’s Braille Center and St. John’s Food Pantry both of Effingham, or donor’s choice.

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Carolyn was born on January 4, 1941, in St. Elmo, IL, the daughter of Mancel “Bob” and Effie (Long) Brazle. She was baptized in the Church of God in St. Elmo, IL, entering the Kingdom of Grace and later confirmed in the Lutheran faith on September 15, 1963 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. She was united in marriage to Charles Braasch on October 12, 1963, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Vandalia, IL. Carolyn was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, the first woman to be elected to serve on St. John’s Church Council-Board of Education, a worker and served as one of the Directors for Lutheran Braille Work Center No.164 at St. John’s for over twenty-five years, taught Sunday School, VBS, and junior confirmation classes. Carolyn was a stay-at-home mother. She enjoyed wildflowers, birds, word games, crossword puzzles, Boggle and Scrabble and she was hard to beat. She served the community in Home Extension briefly, and CEFS as a teacher of English to a young Chinese resident.

Carolyn is survived by her husband, Charles Braasch of Effingham; children, David Braasch of Tampa, FL, Elizabeth (Bruce) Walden of Urbana, William (Erin) Braasch of Asheville, NC, and Andrew (Rava) Braasch of Effingham; grandsons, Damien James Braasch and Teague Braasch; sisters, Brenda Roberts of Tallahassee, FL, and Pamela Surratt of Odessa, TX; sisters-in-law, Audrey Ramsey and Jeanine Hosbach; along with several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Marcean Kaylor; and brothers-in-law, Richard Braasch, Roger Kaylor, and Robert Hosbach.