Arlene Cecelia Brokaw, age 91, passed away peacefully March 30, 2022. She was born August 1, 1930 in Harbor Springs, MI to Theodore and Jestine.
Upon graduating from Petoskey High School, she attended Ferris Institute (later Ferris State University). She was working as an X-ray technician when she met and married her loving husband James Edward Brokaw, in 1956 who preceded her in death in 2021. Growing up in the Catholic faith she was a member of St. Francis of Assisi in Ann Arbor, MI, and St. Timothy in Lady Lake, FL.
As her family grew she enjoyed cultivating a backyard “Victory garden” which led her to a fondness for cooking especially baking of fruit pies and Christmas cookies which were a family favorite. She expressed her creativity throughout her life, sewing baby doll clothes for her daughter to tap dancing costumes in retirement as well as various themed needlepoint works that graced the walls of her children’s homes.
A large collection of photo albums are filled with fond memories of the many years of friendships developed through her church and neighborhood groups. These family friends would also become adventurous camping companions, golfing partners and bingo buddies.
She is survived by her daughter Karen (Meritt) Lamb of Old Town, FL; sons John (Laurie) Brokaw of Summerfield, FL, and David (Rose) Brokaw of Livonia, MI; grandchildren Tommy, Zachary, Jenna, and Steven Brokaw of Fletcher, NC; and brother Frank (Jan) of Loudon, TN.
Her life was a living example of what was written in her high school yearbook “A sweet attractive kind of grace”. A private family “Celebration of Life” will be held in the future, she will be inurned at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, FL.
