Linda A. Braun

Linda A. Braun nee Milcarek, age 73. Longtime resident of Country Club Hills, IL. Beloved wife of Fred J. Braun. Loving mother of Jennifer (Michael) Denton, Lynn Braun, John Braun, late Fred (late Hellen) Braun, Kathrynne (late Glen) Skonicki and Valerie Braun-Zokan (Neal Zokan). Cherished grandmother of Sandra (Nick) Sturgeon, Christina Denton, Michael Denton, Ashley Denton, Cameron Braun, Cameree Braun, Angela Skonicki, Katy Skonicki and David Skonicki. Great-grandmother of Sonia and Charlotte Sturgeon. Dear sister of Rosemarie (late Kasper) Norkus and sister-in-law of Marian (late John) Lukshas. Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 1, 2021, at St. Emeric Catholic Church, 4330 W. 180th St., Country Club Hills, IL. Due to COVID-19 precautions, only family members may be in attendance. All are invited to watch the Mass at 10:00 am live stream at www.facebook.com/linda.braun.3950 and celebrate in-person at an outdoor Celebration of Life to be held in the summer. A brief walk-thru visitation will be held with COVID-19 mitigations in place from 9-9:45 a.m. Monday, March 1, 2021, at St. Emeric Church in Country Club Hills. For additional information contact tews-ryanfh.com or call 708-798-5300.

Linda, and her husband Fred of 50 years, was a resident of Country Club Hills for more than 45 years. Fred and Linda met and fell in love during a company bowling league and quickly formed a partnership on the drag strip as Fred raced his car and Linda led his pit crew. Their love of family, sports, and civic service was a roadmap for her life. She was a proud mother of six children, "Nana" to nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, and a mother figure to countless others who lovingly called her "Mrs. Braun".

A boisterous super fan of athletes in local youth sports, no matter the skill level, background, neighborhood- she just wanted to W-I-N and celebrate! Her competitive spirit carried through in card games, board games, scouting badges, and many other activities.

A mentor to many, Linda often loudly praised those who she unknowingly inspired to become great leaders and engaged community citizens through her example of volunteering to countless local organizations. Linda rose up from assistant Brownie leader to a regional head of the Girl Scouts; she was the first to introduce and implement the Daisy Girl Scout program for the Chicago area. The lunchroom mom became PTA President and ran the Cougars football cheerleading program, before then taking on a leadership role in the Hillcrest Booster Club.

Her public service spanned all ages with a focus on seniors in recent years. The culmination of her community stewardship materialized when she created the Country Club Hills OAK program in 2001, forming a community of support for seniors. (The stories and pictures from Bingo games or trips to Joe's Crab Shack! Oh my!)

When Linda began each professional challenge at an entry-level, she rose to leadership positions. Linda's career began as a switchboard operator at Joanna Western Mills where her Dad, husband, and many other family members worked. After becoming a mother, Linda sought part-time jobs to keep her kids involved in community activities. Many remember her as being the school crossing guard and lunchroom mom. Linda eventually combined her religious and community passions into

several roles with St. Emeric as well as Country Club Hills and Bremen Township. Among her many roles at St. Emeric, she served as parish secretary, parish office manager, Eucharistic minister, and religious education teacher. She taught herself accounting to manage the parish office and eventually run a budget as a program manager at OAK. Along the way, she took minutes at hundreds of city council meetings and commission meetings always looking for ways to help out.

Just like the annual family watching of the "Sound of Music", these were a few of Linda's favorite things - bowling and drag car races with her husband and in-laws, teaching her kids to dance during Saturday night Motown dance parties, weekly Bunco with the school moms, making bacon and eggs in a paper bag over a campfire, cheer/screaming at softball games, numerous theatre trips, and leading the annual OAK BID WHIST competition.

A few of her distinguished titles included:

St. Emeric Church Member

Original Site Manager for P.A.D.S. at St. Emeric Church

City of Country Club Hills Senior Citizen OAK program Coordinator

Country Club Hills Park Board President

Association Chairman for South Cook County Girl Scouts

President of School District 160 PTO

Bremen Township Trustee

United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Board Member

South Suburban Special Recreation Association Board Member

Hillcrest High School Principal Advisory Committee Member

Hillcrest High School Booster Club Member

Country Club Hills Cougars Head Cheerleading Coach

Election Judge