Fannie Elizabeth Brake, age 94, daughter of the late David and Ruth Barker Stephenson, who was born, January 20, 1924 in Seaboard, North Carolina passed away January 27, 2018 at her home in the care of her family in Jacksonville, Florida.
Fannie worked in sales and service all her life. She started at J.C. Penney in Roanoke Rapids, N.C. and also helped her mother run a boarding home. She met her husband, Harold at the boarding home and later married him in 1941. After her marriage and while Harold was in the service she worked for Rabil’s in Weldon, N,C. After the war, they traveled to many places in N,C., S.C. and Georgia as Harold was working in construction paving and repaving roads and later interstates. Once moving to Jacksonville in 1958, she worked at Terry Parker High School as Lunchroom Manager and then in sales at Pic-N-Save. In 1967 she begin working at J.C. Penneys once again in the Men’s Furnishings Department and stayed there until she retired in 1986. She was a member of Arlington United Methodist Church since 1971.
During Fannie’s retirement years and after Harold’s death in 1990, she traveled a lot between N.C., Atlanta, Georgia and home. She traveled with her brother, D.B. and his wife Alice and sister-in-love, Doodie to the Holy Land and always said that was the trip of her lifetime. She stayed with her neice and nephew-in-love Gale and Joe West most of the time in N.C. and with her daughter, grandson and son-in-love in Atlanta. When her daughter and family returned to Jacksonville in 2010, she moved in with them in the Hidden Hills community. She then joined the Jim Fortuna Senior Center and was a member until her death. She loved to play cards and dominos and fellowship with all the members there. She met some very special friends at the Center and made many “late in life” memories.
Fannie was always the type of person that you just fell in love with because of her love for life and lively personality. She always made you feel part of her family from the moment you met her. She loved to tell a “cute” joke but so many times forgot the punch line and started laughing before she finished.
She loved her grandson, Todd, more than life itself. She was so involved in his life and enjoyed every minute of the day with him. She also spent much quality time with her son-in-love, Steve as he was her caretaker for many years while her daughter was still serving God in Christian education. Todd was her only grandchild but she was “Grannie Fannie” to many. Her heart was so full of love for others. She loved the Atlanta Braves and Florida Gators and was fondly known as “Gator Grannie” by many.
Fannie was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Pilcher Brake, her sisters, Magdeline Porter and Pattie King and her brothers, Lloyd Stephenson and Milton (Monk) Stephenson as well as three sisters and three brothers prior to her birth.
She is survived by her daughter, Priscilla Brake DeWitt, her son-in-love, Steven Allen DeWitt, her grandson, Todd Gregory DeWitt, her brother, D.B Stephenson and sister-in-love Alice, her nieces, Gale West and nephew-in-love, Joe, Debbie Bonin and nephew-in-love, Mark, Dondie McNickle and nephew-in-love, Mark, Mary Wood, Margaret Ann Kennedy, Shelby Jean Birdsong, her nephew, Keith Stephenson, nephew by marriage, Jewel P. Johnson and many great nieces and nephews.
The family will receive guests for a Visitation from 4 to 6 PM, Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at Arlington Park Funeral Home, 6920 Lone Star Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32211
A Celebration of Life Service will take place at 11 AM, Thursday, February 1, 2018 in Arlington Park Funeral Home Chapel with a special loved one, Daniel DeWitt officiating.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of Arlington Park Funeral Home, 6920 Lone Star Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32211 (904) 724-6384.