Mae Brazeau, lifelong Escanaba resident, passed away peacefully Sunday night with her family at her side. Mae was born on May 27th, 1924 in Escanaba to her parents George and Alma Peterson. She was actively involved in the Escanaba community throughout her life. As an accomplished violinist, she proudly served as concertmaster of the Bay de Noc Symphony Orchestra, Escanaba String Ensemble and the pit orchestras for Players de Noc and Escanaba High School musical productions. She loved classical music and enjoyed attending concerts, opera and especially loved the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Orchestra Hall and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Mae and her late husband August Brazeau enjoyed spending time together with their family and friends at their beach house on Lake Michigan where Mae loved hosting parties for her friends, family and classmates.
She is survived by her son, Jerry Brazeau and his wife, Kim of Ford River, her granddaughter Natalie Brazeau and her fiance Stephen Maples of Davis, CA, her step granddaughter KC Brazeau-Bratt and her husband, Alex Bratt of Los Angeles, CA, and her step grandson, Colin Brazeau of San Francisco, CA. She was preceded in death by her husband August Brazeau in 1992. She was also preceded in death by her parents George and Alma Peterson and her brother Edmund Peterson and his wife Ruth. She is also survived by Edmund’s children Nancy Peterson and James Peterson and wife Coleen of Escanaba.
A private funeral service for the immediate family will be held at Gardens of Rest Memorial Park with entombment to follow in the mausoleum next to her beloved husband August.
A celebration of her life will be held at her home on Wednesday, October 17 at 3 pm. All family and friends are welcome to attend.
The family requests that memorial gifts be made to the Escanaba High School Orchestra Program in lieu of flowers.
Michelle - Escanaba , Mi
I will miss you every day my friend. Rest In Peace honey!
Stanley Hale - near Vienna, Austria, AT
The news of Mae’s passing reached me near Vienna, Austria. What a flood of happy music-making memories going back to the time I was in jr. high! I will never forget.
Bev Boehm - SALEM, WI
So sorry to hear of my cousin Mae’s passing. I will miss our phone calls and sharing our love of music and the violin. I was away on a trip so just heard of this. My sympathies to her family.
Sharon Vance - Flint, MI
Aunt Mae is finally reunited with her beloved husband, Uncle Auggie. Rest in Peace. Love Sharon and Bob Vance
Lynette Weber - McHenry, IL
Grew up going to Escanaba vusiting all my Great-aunties and Great-uncles. So many wonderful memories with a fantastic group of loving, caring and funny family. Auntie Mae was the last of a generation that meant so much to me. She will rest in peace to a loving and caring man, Uncle Augie. I pray that she will watch over us all. Jerry, to you and your family,
I feel your loss. Much love to all my family that are feeling this loss.
Jean Wise, - Wells, Mi
So very sorry you have passed my dear Mae. I loved you so very much and enjoyed all of our times together, taking care of your Mother and dear Augie/August. I enjoyed working for you and did miss it, so often thinking of you daily as I baked I knew how much you loved me doing that and stoping by with the little buns you so much loved jelly on. The cookies you adored I didn’t even think mine could ever compare to those that you had made. You did enjoy them. I will and have extremely sadly miss and will miss you. I am so sorry that I couldn’t have spent more time with you although I did enjoy our visits on the phone as I would tire you out as we spent so long visiting at times. I didn’t know you passed until I stopped by to visit at the Mausoleum just after your service. I thought of you and Augie so much on all my walks throughout the grounds I know how much you both loved it there and had worked so hard there to make it a wonderful resting place. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND WILL MISS YOU EVERY DAY THE REST OF MY LIFE.