Mary Jean Brazda

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, September 16, in the Delhomme Chapel of the Flowers in Lafayette, for Mary Jean Fitzsimmons Brazda, 84, who died Monday at 1:24 p.m. at her residence in Carencro. The Rev.Curtis Mallet, Pastor of St. Genevieve Catholic Church in Lafayette, will be the Celebrant of the Mass and conduct the funeral services. Survivors include her sister, Kathleen Leik of Helena, Montana; three sons, Steven James Brazda and his wife Lucia, of Parks, Michael Robert Brazda and his wife, Wanda, of Arnaudville, and Scott Anthony Brazda and his wife, Suzanne, of Lafayette; one daughter, Mary Lynn Halderman and her husband, Ron, of Billings, Montana.; ten grandchildren, Stephanie Jo Brazda, Amy Claire Brazda Eastman, Cara Nell Halderman, Christopher Robert Halderman, Leah Marie Halderman, Zachary Arthur Brazda, Sophia Marie Brazda, Nicholas Anthony Brazda, Colby Joseph Melvin and Tyler James Moehring; and one great-grandchild, Kai Arthur Ronald Reese. She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur Robert Brazda; her parents, James and May Fitzsimmons of Mandan, North Dakota, and her brother, Patrick Fitzsimmons of Mandan, North Dakota. Mrs. Brazda was born November 21, 1926, in Mandan, North Dakota, and graduated with honors from Mandan High School in 1943. She attended Rosary College in Chicago, Illinois, and graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1948, where she was a member of honors organizations Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Alpha Theta. Mrs. Brazda later earned a Masters Degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1969.. Brazda taught school for nearly 50 years, including here in Acadiana at Teurlings Catholic High School, St. Genevieve Elementary School, St. Martinville High School, Lafayette High School, and the University of Southwestern Louisiana. In 1967, she was named 'Outstanding Teacher' by the Lafayette Youth Council and was later selected for inclusion in the 1976 edition of 'Outstanding Leaders in Elementary and Secondary Education'. After she retired from teaching in the early 1990s, she volunteered many hours at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and Teurlings Catholic High School. Mrs. Brazda's greatest joys were her family, friends, painting, playing bridge, reading, crocheting, constructing jigsaw puzzles, and watching movies & television. Visitation will be Thursday at Delhomme Funeral Home on Bertrand Drive in Lafayette, from 4:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., and will continue Friday, from10:00 a.m. until time of services. A rosary will be held Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. Contributions in lieu of flowers can be made to Hospice of Acadiana in Lafayette.

Mary Jean Brazda

November 21, 1926 - September 12, 2011