Cecelia Sylvia (Pliska) Brame was born November 6, 1921 to parents Stanley and Stella Pliska. She passed away in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, August 1, 2018, at the age of 96. Cecelia came from a wonderful family to include her brothers and sister, Josephine, Joseph, Hellen, Chester, Felicia and Edward (Edgie), and later, her husband, Fred L. Brame of the US Navy; their children, Gerald L. Brame, Donna Hurley and Paula Canik; two grandchildren, Heather Michael and James Canik. There are four great grandchildren, Dylan, Ethan, Trinity, and David Nolan. She also had an honorary son, Steve Ratajack.
Cecelia’s dad was a coal miner in Pennsylvania. He developed black lung disease and the family moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut. She started working at age nine after school cleaning houses and babysitting. Later, she worked at a watch factory making parts. At age sixteen, she worked in a hospital as a nurse where she developed rheumatic fever which affected her later in life. In 1942, she met and married William Cecil Harris. Unfortunately, they were only together for a month because he went off to fight in the Pacific during World War II. His plane was shot down and then was captured as one of the Japanese prisoners of war camp in Bougainville Papua, New Guinea. The Japanese base was bombed by allies and he was killed. Cecelia then worked in Remington Arms Ammunition Factory making bullets to fight the Nazis and Japanese. She was a Rosie the Riveter, a woman who worked in a defense plant in World War II. After the war she met and married Fred in 1946. Their first child, Gerald was born in Bridgeport in 1947. They moved to Austin, Texas the next year. When the Korean War started Fred reenlisted in the navy and moved to San Diego. Donna was born in 1951. The family moved several times during the next years, living in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Westover, Massachusetts, Rockville, Maryland and Orange, Texas. The next move was to Seattle, Washington in 1958 where their last daughter, Paula, was born. The family also moved to San Diego and Beeville, Texas. Fred retired from the Navy in 1965 and their last move was to Houston, Texas. Cecelia worked for a gift wrapping company and later for Marsh Instrument Company where she retired. Cecelia’s first grandchild Heather was born in 1976. Her husband Fred died of heart problems in 1979. He did provide for her by having insurance that paid off the house. After her husband died, Donna moved and lived with her for the last 38 years.
Cecelia's favorite times were her visits to Bridgeport to visit the relatives. These trips were made in the summer as a vacation and to escape the summer heat in Texas. The family sometime traveled by train, packing up two days of fried chicken. Several times the trip was made by car, which was a four-day ordeal. In the last few times Cecelia, Gerald and Paula flew to New York and took the limo to Connecticut. The last trip they took was in 2015. Cecelia loved to argue and fuss with her younger sister, Felicia.
Cecelia’s hobbies included ceramics, piano, scratch-offs, visits with family and friends, eating out at Guadalajara and Fuddruckers. She was a great cook in her earlier days. On Mother’s day, the family would go to the Polish Church and eat at Mighty Burger afterwards.
A special thanks to Steve Ratajack who Cecelia called her special son, daughter-in-law, Perla Palileo Brame and to Vanessa Caguicla-Bivens for compiling pictures on facebook. Gerald told Steve, if I could pick a brother, it would be you.
Sto Lat, Sto Lat! (100 years, 100 Years!)
Mom, you did not get your 100 years but you came so close. We thank God every day for the Great mother we had. How many people are lucky enough to have a mother for 71 years? Indeed, “A man is a product of what their mother makes him.”
Family and friends will gather and share memories of this wonderful woman during a visitation from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 7, at Waltrip Funeral Directors, 1415 Campbell Road on Houston. The Funeral Mass will be 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 8, in the sanctuary of Our Lady of Czestochowa Roman Catholic Church, 1731 Blalock, 77080, with Reverend Boguslaw Migat, celebrant. The Rite of Committal will follow at Woodlawn Garden of Memories, 1101 Antoine, also in Houston.
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