Jayne Rae Brady

Born March 1, 1921, in Stambaugh, Michigan, a daughter of Henry and Louise (Niemann) Petersen, she was raised during the Great Depression in her father’s lumber camp in Gibbs City. The men at the camp treated young Jayne “as one of the guysù, even including her in their nightly card games where they played for toothpicks. At age 6, she was quite proficient at poker and earned her share of toothpicks. She attended a one-room schoolhouse, walking through the woods three miles each morning to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic. These early experiences instilled in her a passion for learning. She continued her education by graduating from Iron River High School and Northern State Teachers College (now NMU) with honors in 1941. While at Northern, she was elected queen for one of their college events. Armed with her degree, and having majored in english, art, and home economics, Jayne began an over 25 year teaching career which included assignments in Rudyard, Boyne City, and Sturgis. In 1945, she returned to Marquette and was married to Franklin W. Nord, who passed away in 1955. She returned to teaching, obtained her masters degree from Michigan State University, and served as a Michigan State Extension worker for four years. Locally, she resumed teaching, first at Graveraet High School and then at Northern Michigan University. On August 2, 1959, Jayne was united in marriage to William F. Brady with the couple celebrating 52 happy years together before his death in 2012. Jayne was generous with both her time and talent, spending many summers as a volunteer at the Bay Cliff Health Camp Library, as a member of the Community Presbyterian Church in Big Bay, serving as past president and member of the United Methodist Women of Marquette, and as a member and officer of Chapter ES of the PEO Sisterhood, and also enjoyed her Red Hat organization in Green Valley, Arizona. Her many other interests included cooking, reading, music, crafts, and church activities.

Jayne is survived by her children, Sandra (Nicholas) Lakari of Crivitz, WI and Betty (David) Brunelle of Chatham, IL; her grandchildren, Laura Brady Badar (Christian), Jeff Brunelle (Jenni), Mike Brunelle (Annie), Natalie Girard Kivi, Dana Brunelle Moomey (Keith), and Ashley Agan Jennings (Brian); great-grandchildren, William, Roxy, Rikki, Nathan, Jayna, Aaron, Alex, Miles, Bennett, and Brady; many nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Jayne was preceded in death by her husbands, Franklin W. Nord and William F. Brady; daughters, Patricia Girard and Billie Agan; and sisters, Kathryn Petersen and Henrietta Gilbert (the late Keith).

At Jayne’s humble request, there will be no funeral or memorial service. Private interment will be made in the Powell Township Cemetery in Big Bay. If you wish to honor Jayne, the family suggests performing an act of kindness for another.

Memorials may also be directed to the Community Presbyterian Church in Big Bay or Lake Superior Life Care and Hospice.

Jayne sometimes quoted Yogi Berra who once said, “too many birthdays is a major cause of death.”

Fassbender Swanson Hansen Funeral and Cremation Services is serving the family where condolences may be expressed online at fassbenderswansonhansen.com