Louise (Voss) Graelish Brandi
Resident of Hercules
After many years of courageously confronting the challenges of Parkinson’s Disease, Louise passed away Friday, June 7, 2013, peacefully at her home in the loving comfort of her family.
Louise was born in 1924 to Louis and Elizabeth Voss of Richmond, California. She attended Richmond Union High School along with her sister, Verna, and brother, Douglas. She was incredibly positive about life and she loved the arts. She played violin and piano. She was a talented artist with two dimensional drawings, pastels and watercolors, and in later years textiles and ceramics. But above all she loved to dance.
As a young woman she would often slip into the great ballrooms of her day and listen to the big bands of her time. She loved the music of that era. On the dance floor she stood out and it was at the Historic Sweet’s Ballroom that she was soon recruited to join a dance troop. What a thrill. Exhibition ballroom dancing with the big bands.
When the war broke out, she like many women, joined the war effort. She worked at the original Ford Plant in Richmond as a quality control specialist on the tank production line. She was very proud of her contribution to her country.
Her love of life filled her home. She enjoyed being a wife and a mother and being at home with her four young children. She was an excellent seamstress and a great cook. She later went into secretarial work and valued the many friendships she made in the workplace. She was a 50 year member of Eastern Star Chapter 205. She loved hosting social gatherings and her home was open to all. In her later years she traveled extensively and would always return with wonderful stories about her travels to various countries.
She will always be in the hearts of the many people who knew and loved her. We won’t forget the image of her great smile and flaming red hair. Her kindness, patience, resilience, unconditional regard for others, peaceful strength, love of life and vibrant spirit are the gifts that she leaves with us.
She is predeceased by her husband, James Graelish; husband, Raymond Brandi; life partner, John Elefther; her parents Louis Voss, Elizabeth and Clarence Ingraham; sister, Verna Rossi (Martin); brother, Douglas Voss (Geraldean, Marvel); son, Michael Graelish; daughter, Josephine Brandi; grandsons, Jimmy Graelish and Robert Dauer Jr.; and great granddaughter, Raybecca Gutierrez.
She is lovingly survived by her family… daughters, Kathleen Graelish Neptune (Lawrence), Elizabeth Graelish Wilson Palmer (William), Patricia Graelish Johnson (Walter), Gloria Graelish Dauer; grandchildren, Lisa Pontier Gutierrez, Craig Wilson (Kay), Sadie Bustillo (Wayne Thomas), Dina Matteson (Jay), Tracy Parella (Mick), Scott Dauer (Kim), Dana Cheney (Mike), Rick Neptune (Denise), Andrea Neptune, Samantha Neptune; great grandchildren, Madison, Luke, River, Ryan, Jake, Blake, Zachary, Madison, Scotty, Kevin; nieces, Sandy Stalcup, Jennie Madlem, Carol Raye Williams (Tom); nephew, Douglas Erhardt (Debbie);and John Elefther’s children, Renee Elefther Barocio and John Elefther, Jr., and grandson, Joseph A. Barocio.
The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the many friends who provided support to Louise especially Glenda, Rachelle, and Annie.
Funeral services will be held Friday, June 14, 2013 at 1:30pm at Sunset View Mortuary at the top of Fairmount Avenue, El Cerrito, CA. Interment to follow.