Obituary for Carol Anne Bragg
Carol Anne Bragg
On November 1, 2019 Carol completed her 13 year journey with dementia. She faced this adversity as she had many others with patience and tenacity – her favorite phrase to those she mentored in life. Carol was a graduate of Elizabeth Seton High School and initially worked for the federal government. She was proud that she was at NASA in Greenbelt when we landed on the moon. She later went back to Seton to teach and coach girls basketball – sports of any kind was part of what she loved and coaching basketball there was something that she spoke of the rest of her life. But what she really wanted was to be a nurse and she went back to school, first to be an LPN and then while working at Prince George’s Hospital Center she went back and obtained her RN degree from Prince George’s Community College. She also obtained her CCRN certification when she worked in CCU – something she was always so proud of.
Once Carol was an RN she set out for a wonderful career, remaining always at Prince George’s Hospital Center. She worked on a medical surgical unit before she made the decision to move to CCU. There she found her true nursing passion and did that until she had to stop working due to her illness. Carol was also a champion for nurses – being the head of the nursing union at the hospital system as well as statewide in the union. She was one of the founders of the Professional Staff Nurses Association of MD and later led the nursing group to join SEIU. Carol was a leader for nurses’ rights in her hospital, the state and at the national level. A nurse to the end in a profession she loved so much – as Carol was transitioning to a better place it was change of shift and her day caregiver came to say goodbye. When he left the home, Debbie leaned over to Carol and gently told her “Carol your shift is over”. With that Carol took her last breath. She earned her real angel wings to go with her nursing cap!
Carol had passions for writing, photography, crafts and Maryland history. She loved Disney World, having taken many trips there over the years. When she could no longer travel she had her favorite characters around her – Winnie the Pooh and Piglet watching over her. The beach was her favorite relaxation place to be – a summer was not complete without the annual trip to Ocean City and visiting her family in nearby Lewes, Delaware.
Carol leaves behind her loving partner of over 30 years, Debbie Wilkes, Debbie’s daughter Jennifer (Andrew) Tretler and children Kaitlin and Connor, Debbie’s son John (Lindsay) Wilkes and sons Jackson and Brady, Carol’s mom Louise Bragg, Carol’s brother Bill Bragg, nephew Jason (Katie) Bragg and children Will and Kelly and nephew Justin Bragg.
Thank you to all our family and friends for the loving thoughts and prayers. There will be a private celebration of life with family at a later date at the beach Carol so loved. What Carol wanted is for all to remember the good times they had with her and to keep her memory by paying forward by an act of kindness, volunteering or donating to a cause that will help others.
On November 1, 2019 Carol completed her 13 year journey with dementia. She faced this adversity as she had many others with patience and tenacity – her favorite phrase to those she mentored in life. Carol was a graduate of Elizabeth Seton High School and initially worked for the federal government. She was proud that she was at NASA in Greenbelt when we landed on the moon. She later went back to Seton to teach and coach girls basketball – sports of any kind was part of what she loved and coaching basketball there was something that she spoke of the rest of her life. But what she really wanted was to be a nurse and she went back to school, first to be an LPN and then while working at Prince George’s Hospital Center she went back and obtained her RN degree from Prince George’s Community College. She also obtained her CCRN certification when she worked in CCU – something she was always so proud of.
Once Carol was an RN she set out for a wonderful career, remaining always at Prince George’s Hospital Center. She worked on a medical surgical unit before she made the decision to move to CCU. There she found her true nursing passion and did that until she had to stop working due to her illness. Carol was also a champion for nurses – being the head of the nursing union at the hospital system as well as statewide in the union. She was one of the founders of the Professional Staff Nurses Association of MD and later led the nursing group to join SEIU. Carol was a leader for nurses’ rights in her hospital, the state and at the national level. A nurse to the end in a profession she loved so much – as Carol was transitioning to a better place it was change of shift and her day caregiver came to say goodbye. When he left the home, Debbie leaned over to Carol and gently told her “Carol your shift is over”. With that Carol took her last breath. She earned her real angel wings to go with her nursing cap!
Carol had passions for writing, photography, crafts and Maryland history. She loved Disney World, having taken many trips there over the years. When she could no longer travel she had her favorite characters around her – Winnie the Pooh and Piglet watching over her. The beach was her favorite relaxation place to be – a summer was not complete without the annual trip to Ocean City and visiting her family in nearby Lewes, Delaware.
Carol leaves behind her loving partner of over 30 years, Debbie Wilkes, Debbie’s daughter Jennifer (Andrew) Tretler and children Kaitlin and Connor, Debbie’s son John (Lindsay) Wilkes and sons Jackson and Brady, Carol’s mom Louise Bragg, Carol’s brother Bill Bragg, nephew Jason (Katie) Bragg and children Will and Kelly and nephew Justin Bragg.
Thank you to all our family and friends for the loving thoughts and prayers. There will be a private celebration of life with family at a later date at the beach Carol so loved. What Carol wanted is for all to remember the good times they had with her and to keep her memory by paying forward by an act of kindness, volunteering or donating to a cause that will help others.