Theresa Lillian Braun

Theresa Lillian Braun, 96, of Williamsburg, Virginia, passed away on January 8, 2023. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Mary Jannatty, of Atlantic City, NJ, and her husband of 63 years, Farrell J. Braun. A long-time member of St. Bede Catholic Church, Theresa was active in the Altar Guild. While growing up in Atlantic City, NJ, she attended school and sang in the church choir at St. Michael’s Catholic Church. After graduating from high school, Theresa worked for a local insurance agency, where she made life-long friends. It was during this time that she met her husband, when he had the good fortune to be stationed at the Naval Air Station Atlantic City. Because she was a Navy wife, Theresa traveled all over the US and the world, living in Tennessee, California, Hawaii, Georgia, Massachusetts and Virginia, as well as visiting Canada, Mexico, Greece and Italy. No matter where she lived, she made that place home for her family. She enjoyed a wide range of hobbies and interests, including sewing, knitting, crocheting, bowling and tennis, as well as all sorts of card and board games. Along with her quick wit and warm laugh, her family will miss her artful work with ceramics and her talent in the kitchen. Theresa is survived by her four children, Maria Ash (John) of Smithfield, VA; John Braun (Mary) of Woodbridge, VA; Joanne McNeill (Neil) of Morehead City, NC; and Karen Smith (Bruce) of Bridgeville, DE; as well as eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 19, from 4-7pm at Nelsen Funeral Home, 3785 Strawberry Plains Road, Williamsburg. A funeral Mass will be held on Friday, January 20, at 11:30am at St. Bede Catholic Church, 3686 Ironbound Road, Williamsburg. Interment will be on Saturday, January 21, at 11am at Peninsula Memorial Park, 12750 Warwick Blvd, Newport News. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org) or the USO (www.uso.org). Online condolences may be shared at www.NelsenWilliamsburg.com.