Clara Mae Braunecker, age 96, of Ireland, Indiana, passed away at 9:15 p.m., on Thursday, November 28, 2024, at home surrounded by family.
Clara Mae was born in Ireland, Indiana, on December 19, 1927, to the late Anton and Margaret (Lampert) Gress. She married Leonard Braunecker on July 26, 1947, and they were married 44 years when he preceded her in death in 1991.
In her younger years, Clara Mae worked on her family’s farm. She graduated from Ireland High School and took a job as a nanny in Louisville. Clara Mae and her husband moved back to her family’s farm after the early passing of her mother to help raise her seven younger siblings while starting her own family. She and her husband started a poultry-layer farm business alongside, in 1962, the start-up of Shamrock Cabinets.
Clara was the matriarch of her family and employees. She enjoyed working at Shamrock Cabinets where in her later years she continued to hand out paychecks, cut staining rags, cleaned stain buckets, cleaned the breakroom and office for the employees, and picking up the company mail at the Ireland post office.
Clara Mae was a faithful member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Ireland Home Economics Club, The German Club, and St. Anne’s Society. She enjoyed attending the Ireland Historical Society meetings and events. Clara Mae served as honorary mayor for the St. Patrick’s celebration in Ireland.
She is survived by four children, Jackie Braunecker (Clive Williams) Jasper; Gayle Davis, Plainfield; Jeff (Julie) Braunecker, Jasper; Stacy (Dan) Smith, Stendal; and son-in-law Dennis Wickman; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; one brother, Wilfred Gress; and two sisters, Mitzi Lanham and Diane Buechlein.
She is preceded in death by three daughters, Karen and Jill Braunecker, and Debra Wickman, and one son and daughter-in-law Mark and Sarah Braunecker; three brothers, Lee Albert, Richard, Virgil Gress, and one sister Naomi Gress.
A mass of Christian burial for Clara Mae Braunecker will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, December 6, 2024, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Ireland with burial to follow in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. mass time at the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary’s Catholic Church or to a favorite charity.
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