Beverly Ann Braasch

Beverly Ann (Wolfe) Braasch was born in Milwaukee, WI to Merle Rodney Wolfe and Eunice Louise (Reindl) Wolfe on February 1, 1949. As a baby she was a joy, sleeping through her first night home from the hospital. Her mom nicknamed her Bevvydear and called her that her whole life. An adorable child with her blonde curls and green eyes, she was raised in the house her dad built on 92 nd Street with her four sisters, Dolores, Diane, Marilyn, and Janet. The five girls were loving and supporting of each other throughout their lives and enjoyed being together whenever possible. Beverly met Marty Braasch on a blind date in high school and got married in 1968. She graduated from UWM in 1973 with a BS in medical technology and worked in labs at Columbia Hospital and New Berlin Memorial Hospital until her son Ryan was born in 1978. After Ryan's birth, Bev went back to lab work for a short time, then switched to real estate sales. She gave up her career to devote herself fully to her family, including dogs Holly and Dandy, after Andy was born in 1982. As her boys got older, Beverly was generous with her time for those she could help. She was treasurer at her sons' schools for five years and taught kids about nature as assistant den leader for Cub Scouts. She gave first aid and care to students as health room volunteer from 1984-1993; she volunteered at the recycling center and the dog training club; she raised Chloe's puppies for Leader Dogs for the Blind; and she took her dog Kiba on nursing home visits as a therapy dog. Her dog Rocky didn't do any volunteering, but like all of Bev's dogs, he was allowed free reign of the house including couches and beds. Bev also enjoyed photography, reading, racquetball, and visiting Door County during those years. After Beverly and Marty divorced in 1993, Beverly started her own small business, "Stellar Stencil," doing decorative interior painting including the stenciled chickadees around the fireplace at the house on Wildflower Ct. She continued to work and volunteer at school as teacher's aide and library assistant even after her sons graduated. She became involved at Lake Country Unitarian Universalist Church where she had a great community of friends who loved her. She continued to volunteer a great deal of her time helping refugees practice English, helping poor people prepare taxes, at church, at the animal shelter, and no doubt in many ways we don't even know about. And of course, she gave refuge to several rescue dogs. She enjoyed regular lunches and vacations with her friends, was a formidable scrabble player, and pursued her Ebay side-business with abandon. She loved visiting her grandkids Halle and Warren in Panama, where she enjoyed the beaches and flowers and birds. In September of 2020, Beverly suffered a heart attack, and complications during bypass surgery left her unable to walk. Just as she was getting back on her feet, she suffered a stroke in March of 2021. She succumbed to her illness on December 4, 2021. Beverly is preceded in death by her parents, sister Marilyn Knackert, and sister Diane Wolfe. She is survived by her sons Ryan Braasch and Andy Braasch; her grandchildren Halle and Warren Alonso; her sisters Dolores Hansen Nelson and Janet Nuszbaum; her boyfriend Alfred Wyremski; as well as many, many nieces, nephews, and friends. Beverly opened her home and heart to a long line of lucky dogs, Holly, Dandy, Kiba, Rocky, Chloe, Vicki, Dakota, Baylee, and Marla. Baylee's home is now with Andy, and Marla's home is with Al. In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Beverly's memory with a donation to a charity that was important to her. She had dozens of charities she liked to patronize, but her "favorites" were Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS), The Nature Conservancy, Lake Country Unitarian Universalist Church, Hebron Housing Services, and public radio and television (NPR/PBS).