Martha E. Braga, 81, passed away Saturday, June 25, 2016. A visitation will be held 9:30 AM until the Funeral Ceremony at 11:00 am, Wednesday, June 29, 2016, at Calvary Baptist Church, 1800 South Conwell, Casper, Wyoming. Interment will follow at Highland Cemetery in Casper.
Martha was born and raised on a farm near Union, Iowa on September 2, 1934 to Edward and Genevieve (Marshall) Packer.
Martha graduated from Union High School in 1952, then moved to Des Moines where she worked for over 20 years at Bankers Life Insurance Company, now Principal Financial Group.
On June 11, 1955, she was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, Alan Carter Braga. They lived in Des Moines where Alan received his BA degree from Drake University and worked for International Harvester and Iowa Des Moines National Bank except for a short while in Montezuma, IA with IH and two years in the US Army in Texas.
In 1974, the couple moved to Eldora, IA to take over the management of the family farms in that area. While there, they were very involved in the activities of First Baptist Church where Martha served as Sunday School Teacher, Youth Sponsor, Missionary Treasurer, Women Making a Difference co-leader, and Church Secretary for over 6 years. She also delivered Meals on Wheels for over 15 years while in Eldora.
After vacationing in the Snowy Range area of southeastern Wyoming for over 30 years, it was decided this was the area for retirement. So, in the fall of 1997, the couple moved to Cherokee Meadows near Encampment, WY where they lived until October 2011 when they moved to Primrose Retirement Community in Casper.
One of Martha's dreams was to have a little gift shop, so in May of 2003, she opened Aunt Martha's This-n-That shop in Encampment. She loved her shop, serving the people of the community and meeting people from all over the U.S. who stopped in. In May 2007, the shop was closed due to health reasons the re-opened in February 2008 until May 2013.
She enjoyed her family and the many long-time friends who visited their home. She volunteered at the Grand Encampment Museum for several years, worked with the Friends of Encampment-Riverside Library, helped at the Encampment Senior Center, sang with the Encampment Community Choir for nine years and was a member at North Park Baptist Church in Walden, CO.
She is survived by her sister, Elinor Gray of Des Moines, Iowa; and 11 nieces and nephews. Martha is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Alan C. Braga; sisters, Jean, Louise, and Bertha; sister in law, Jessie Lu Hopkins; and brother in law, Tom Gray.
In lieu of flowers the family suggest donations be made to the Calvary Academy, 1800 South Conwell, Casper, WY 82601.