Briana Baran

Her passing was unexpected, sudden and peaceful.

Briana was preceded in death by her father, Charles Maravolo. She is survived by her loving husband of 18 years, Rusty Wallace; children, Morgan Wallace and Ian Johnson; mother, Marlyn Maravolo; sisters, Bettina Maravolo and Becca Maravolo.

Briana was born on July 12, 1959 in Chicago, Illinois to her parents Charles and Marlyn Maravolo. Briana was proud of her immigrant heritage, with her mother's family arriving from Poland in the 1800s and her father's parents immigrating from Italy around the turn of the century. Briana grew up in Chicago and learned to be a savvy city girl. She graduated from Maine East High School in 1977 and went on to attend college at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

As a child and young adult, Briana excelled in school while learning to be an expert English rider. She loved cats, dogs and - most of all - horses. She possessed a special talent when it came to caring for and training the horses. Briana was also a skilled artist, vocalist and writer.

Briana moved to Houston in the mid-1980s and soon found herself managing HBC Comics and Games - a job she loved because of the quirky merchandise, the wonderfully strange customers and the opportunity it afforded her to interact with young people. For the next nine years, Briana played a critical role in HBC's success while also playing an important role in the development of many teens into successful adults.

Briana's wit was infectious and her keen intellect always made for compelling conversation and insightful advice. Her empathy and sensitivity made it very easy for people to talk to her and, often, to come to deeply value her company and friendship.

In the 90's Briana moved into a new stage in her life with the birth of her first son, Ian Mark Johnson, in 1991; and her second, Morgan Baran Wallace, in 1997. Briana tackled motherhood with a fierce determination to do the best she could to give her sons the love and support they would need to flourish.

Briana retained her love of animals, art and music throughout her life.

She was driven to know the world and its peoples. She was an intensely intelligent woman and a fierce advocate for the things she believed.

The depth of her creativity astonished those where were privileged to see it. The breadth of her knowledge often took the unwary by surprise. Briana's profound empathy for the people in her life gave her an almost magical ability to touch the soul. She was beloved by friends and family - and she will be missed.

"The web was woven curiously

The charm is broken utterly,

Draw near and fear not -- this is I,

The Lady of Shalott."

A memorial visitation will be held from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 28, 2012 at Kingwood Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Texas Children's Hospital at https://waystogive.texaschildrens.org or Volunteers for Animal Protection, Inc., Post Office Box 5266, Kingwood, TX 77325.