Margaret Cecile Brais

Brais—Margaret Cecile, 93, of Plantation, Florida, passed away peacefully in the early morning of Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at the home of her daughter and son-in-law. She follows her beloved “Sweetie” of 66 years, Joseph, Sr. and two of her sons, Andrew and Joseph, Jr. and daughters-in-law Alice and Patricia, as well as her parents, Edward and Merle; her brothers, Lawrence and Ralph; and sister, Frances. She will be remembered with love by her remaining children and their respective spouses Jim, Ed, Judy, Rick, Nancy, Steve, Jeanne, Don, her 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren, as well as her surviving siblings, Mary, Connie, John, Bill and Theresa, and all of her nieces and nephews. She was born Margaret Cecile Carter, January 9, 1923 in Murphysboro, Illinois, moving to Chicago in 1927 where she met and married Joseph Brais in 1943. They grew their family that included five sons and two daughters and moved to South Florida in 1970 in search of warmer winters. Margaret was a good woman with simple tastes who deeply loved and supported her husband and family and exuded pride in all of their accomplishments. She was an expert baby-handler and devoted mother. She could keep a secret and never gave up on anyone. She loved to read and listen to music...Englebert Humperdink in particular. Her jewelry went with whatever she was wearing, and her shoes always matched her bag. She craved organization over chaos, being both tidy and thrifty. Margaret was a tough competitor in all parlor games. She appreciated clever puzzles, turns of phrase and a good magic trick. She truly loved the little dog, Frankie, she shared with her eldest daughter in her later years and called him “the baby”. Margaret will be missed by all. In honor of her deeply held Catholic beliefs, a funeral mass will be said at St. Gregory’s parish in Plantation, Florida, Friday, December 9, at 10:00am. Following, there will be refreshments in the parish Garden Room. Many special thanks are given to her caregivers Mickey and Bibi and to the medical staff, aides, social workers and chaplain of her Vitas Hospice team. Their loving attention and concern made her final days the very best they could be. Her family offers them their deep appreciation and gratitude. In essence, Margaret shared Anne’s belief (from one of her favorite books, Anne of Avonlea); “I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string.”