Frances Kathleen "Pat" Brazel

April 27, 1924 – August 3, 2019

Kathleen Brazel’s last thoughts were of her family. During her final days, she repeatedly asked to go “home” to see her parents and her siblings. On August 3, 2019 she was given her wish.

Born in 1924 in Hohenwald, Tennessee, to the late John and Annie Voorhies Hickerson, Pat (as she was known to her family) was one of five children. Her siblings were the late Mildred Hickerson Wheeler, Johnny Hickerson Lovins, Jane Hickerson Haygood, Wanda Hickerson Morehead and Bruce Hickerson. Throughout her life, family was a constant theme. Kathleen had three families, her work family, her church family and her families by both birth and marriage.

Kathleen graduated from Lewis County High School in 1942 and went to work in Nashville at Avco Industries where she met her future husband, the late Bill Brazel. They were married until his death just a few months short of celebrating their Golden Anniversary. In 1945, Kathleen began working at Southern Bell Phone Company as an operator. She spent the next 41 years working there through its various incarnations as The Bell Company and finally to AT&T. When she retired in 1986, her dedication and hard work had earned her the position of Head of the Accounting Department at AT&T (this was the highest rank a woman had earned at that company at that time). Work was always a very important part of her life and she was devoted to both the company and the people with whom she worked. She often told a story about sleeping at the office overnight in anticipation of a Nashville snowstorm so (if the roads were bad) she wouldn’t get caught not being able to come to work the following morning.

Together, “Pat and Bill” as they were affectionately known by her family, spent many years heavily involved in Forest Hills United Methodist Church, whether it was in support of youth sporting events, as prayer partners with individual young people in the church or as active worship participants. She and Bill were known to host Sunday school Halloween parties in their home. Kathleen was a long-time member of her church’s quilting group where she and other women hand stitched countless beautiful quilts as a fundraiser for the church.

Pat was devoted to her family, caring for her mother-in-law until her death as well as for her sister-in-law. She delighted in hosting family gatherings at her home where her traditional southern cooking was always anticipated. No family meal was complete without “Pat’s Rolls” (the recipe for which she generously shared with her nieces who have kept the tradition alive). Family Christmases at her house culminated in a night of Bingo where the most coveted prize was jars of her homemade sweet pickles.

Pat is survived by the loving memories she has left behind with her family and friends. Her family includes sister-in-law Carylon Hickerson, nieces Antoinette Coberly and Drucilla Fannin (Les), nephews Mike Haygood (Joan) and Kevin Morehead (Carol Lea-Mord), step-nephew Kent Smith (Karen), step-nieces Vivian Leigh Thompson (Paul) and Nancy Leich (Jack).

The family would like to thank the caregivers at Blakeford at Woodcrest where she resided for the past five years. In addition, they are grateful to her team of caregivers from Home Instead who repeatedly went above and beyond to ensure that she was as comfortable as possible during her stay at Woodcrest. The family would also like to acknowledge the wonderful assistance they received from Alive Hospice during her final weeks.

Visitation will be at Woodlawn Funeral Home on Wednesday, August 7, 2019 from 1:30pm to 2:30pm with a memorial service following. Pallbearers will be Antoinette Coberly, Mike Haygood, Mason Marsham, Kevin Morehead, Sam Oakley and Danny Poland. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that memorial donations be made in Kathleen’s name to Forest Hills United Methodist Church 1250 Old Hickory Blvd. Brentwood, TN 37027.