Leah Brazo, 90 / Aug. 7, 1920 — Nov. 1, 2010
Published 3:45 am Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Leah C. Brazo, 90, of Detroit Road, Niles, died at 12:05 p.m. Monday, Nov. 1, 2010 at West Woods of Niles following a brief illness.
Leah Brazo, 90
She was born Aug. 7, 1920 in New Carlisle, Ind. to Ralph O. and Ethel (Straub) Walters. In 1949 she and her husband moved in Michigan, to their farm in Howard Township. The lived on “The Forty” for the rest of their lives. She was retired from the former Amerson Bowman Oil Distributing Co.
Leah was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church, Niles, and of United Methodist Women. She served on the Missions Committee at the local, district and conference levels of the United Methodist Church. She was also a member and local officer of the AARP.
Proud to be a registered Democrat, Leah was the first woman elected in Howard Township to the park board. She also served Howard Township as a trustee, and as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals. She was a candidate for the State of Michigan House of Representatives, and was appointed by Gov. James Blanchard to the State Board of Barber Examiners.
On June 30, 1943 in South Bend, Ind., she married Gilbert “Gipp” Brazo, who preceded her in death Jan. 11, 1994. She was also preceded in death by her sister and brothers, Hazel Newport, Frederick Walters and Richard Walters; and by daughters-in-law, Carol Brazo and Bonnie Brazo.
Surviving family also includes her children, James (Judy) Brazo of Warsaw, Ind., Gary Grazo of Fairbanks, Alaska, Gilbert R. (Penny) Brazo of Niles, Dean (Laura) Brazo of Benton Harbor, Jane E. (Mike) Gordon of Niles and Jeffery (Jackie) Brazo of Sturgis, Mich.; 17 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
The funeral service for Leah Brazo will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, 2010 at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with the Rev. Edward H. Slate of Wesley United Methodist Church officiating.
Interment will be a Mission Hills Memorial Gardens, Niles.
The family will receive relatives and friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Contributions in memory of Leah may be made to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UNCOR) through Wesley United Methodist Church.
