Irene Isom Bragg

Geneva Irene Isom Bragg (Irene) was born in Hawkins County, Tennessee on July 25, 1929 to the late Lucille Isom and Willis Seals. She has one surviving brother Jessie Isom (J.D.) and one sister preceded in death, Barbara Jean Isom Taylor (Margie), two living aunts, Nan Isom Horton and Ruth Isom. Growing up Irene helped on the family’s farm and went to Morristown College High School. On August 17, 2015, Irene had a heart attack in Detroit, Michigan at Northwest Manor Nursing Home and went to glory reuniting with her husband, Claude E. Bragg. Irene met and married Claude on March 12, 1946 in Tennessee and during the great migration from the south to the north, they moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1952. In their union, they had 6 children that included one adopted son and unfortunately, 5 children dying at birth. The 6 children are the following residing in various states: Gordon Bragg married to Lorraine Boyd Bragg Smith Bragg (Detroit, MI), Claude Bragg married to Michelle Gardner Bragg (Detroit, MI), Patricia Rosemary Bragg Loving (Dandridge, TN), Danny Bragg (Detroit, MI), Claudia Bragg Massey married to Albert Massey Sr. (Douglasville, GA), Bobbie Bragg married to Vanerence Briggs Bragg (Detroit, MI) and Albert Jurich (adopted son) preceded in death married to Diane DeWitt Jurich (Detroit, MI). Irene and Claude had 16 grandchildren; Sarah Gardner Evans, Wendy Matkins, Nancy Gardner, Kimberly Bragg Edwards, Denise Massey, Michael Gardner Jr., Bobbie Bragg Jr., Albert Massey Jr., Tiffany Bragg, Michole Henry, Simone Bragg Murff, Jeffrey Loving II, Katherine Jurich Milberg, Kelli Jurich, Anthony Jurich and Michael Jurich, 24 great grandchildren and 9 great- great grandchildren in addition with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends~ Thank You Randy Lefevers for all you have done for this dynamic woman during her time of need. Irene was a unique, creative, and quick witted woman, from her stories of drag racing in her earlier years working on the farm, to her teaching her sons how to work on cars, and her love for cooking having big family dinners, the family could anticipate learning something from this woman ahead of her time. She had an interesting approach engaging with others with her enormous sense of humor. She enjoyed and loved children becoming a foster mother in 1967 where she took pride in helping restore several of her foster children’s quality of life. She was a wonderful seamstress and had a phenomenal green thumb with gardening and holistic home remedies. One of her pleasures was letting her grandchildren play in her long hair singing church hymns. Homegoing Celebration will be held on Saturday, August 29, 2015, 12 Noon at Farrar Funeral Home in Dandridge, with Family receiving friends from 11:00am til Noon prior to the Celebration, Graveside Interment will follow at Dandridge Memorial Gardens.