BRAGANINI, Phyllis E.
Age: 75
Kalamazoo, MI
Formerly of Paw Paw
Phyllis Elaine (nAC.e) Blakeman (Meconi) Braganini entered eternal rest on August 22, 2012, the Feast of the Queenship of Mary, at Bronson Hospital, Kalamazoo, MI. Phyllis was born in Kalamazoo on November 9, 1936, the daughter of the late Bernard and Wilma Blakeman. She attended Armstrong Corners Country School, worshiped at Covey Hill Baptist Church, and moved to Paw Paw where she graduated high school in 1954. After attending Albion College and Western Michigan University, she entered into Holy Matrimony with Geno Meconi on June 29, 1957 at St. Mary's Church in Paw Paw. The newly married couple moved from Paw Paw to Detroit, MI to assist the running of St. Julian Wine Co., founded by Geno's father, Mariano Meconi in 1921. While in Detroit, Geno and Phyllis had three children: Mark, Anne, and David.
In 1967 the Meconi family moved back to Paw Paw, where Geno died in 1973. Thereafter Phyllis married Apollo (Paul) Braganini and they shared their time each year between Paw Paw and Eagle Lake, Texas Corners. Phyllis served at St. Mary's Catholic School from 1977 to 2008, known by generations of children as the ever-loveable "Mrs. B." Here she was a generous mother to literally thousands of little boys and girls, and a trusted and wise colleague to her peers and priests alike. After her Catholic conversion in 1956, Phyllis faithfully attended daily Mass at either St. Mary's or St. John Bosco's, and was sustained in her battle with cancer these past few months by the Lord's Eucharist every evening and the prayers of all her family and friends. She is survived by her three devoted children, Mark Meconi of Paw Paw and his two children, Aubrey and Vince; Anne (Jon) Brancheau of Franklin, TN and their three children, Ben, Sam, and Sarah; Fr. David Meconi, S.J. of the St. Louis (MO) University Jesuit Community; as well as five step-children, Diana, David, John, Marianne, and Thomas; brothers, Dr. Gordon (Sue) Blakeman of Denver, CO and Bruce (Pam) Blakeman of Holland, MI.
Family will receive friends on Sunday (8/26) from 6-8 p.m. at the Adams Funeral Home, Paw Paw, where a Rosary service will take place at 7:30 p.m. Mass of Christian burial will take place on Monday, 10am at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Paw Paw, Fr. David Meconi, S.J. and Rev. Fr. Joseph Xavier officiating. Interment will follow, St. Mary's Cemetery, Paw Paw. Memorial contributions may be made to The Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, 4597 Warren Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105.