Ada Dianne Braer

Dianne was born on July 6, 1946, in Decatur, AL, and spent most of her youth in Decatur and Altoona, AL. Dianne was the 7th of 8 children, always talking about doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. When she got into trouble, it wasn’t funny as she was made to go to the oak tree in the yard and get her own switch. When she looked back at all those incidents, it now seemed funny and brought many smiles to her beautiful face.

Dianne was visiting her aunt and uncle in Washington, DC, when she met her husband at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center Non-Commissioned Officers Open Mess. Marc had just returned from an overseas assignment and was celebrating his return to the states with his sister and some of her friends, one of whom was to be a date for Marc, Fortunately, Marc saw Dianne at a table and asked her to dance. Five weeks later, on April 23, 1964, they were married by a Justice of the Peace in Rockville, MD.

In January, 1966, their first child, Scott, was born. In 1969, the family was assigned to San Vito Air Station, near Brindisi, Italy. In August, 1970, their daughter, Michelle, was born in Wiesbaden, Germany. Dianne loved telling everyone that Michelle was made in Italy, born in Germany, and came home to Italy in a banana box because there weren’t any baby transporters for baby Michelle to travel in.

After Italy, Dianne and her family were stationed at Ft. Meade, MD, spending nearly four years there. From there, military assignments took the family to Tucson, AZ, Tokyo, Japan, and Colorado, where the family resided for 24 years before relocating to Glendale, AZ, home for the last 21 years.

Dianne chose a career in retail, working for the Army Air Force Exchange Service. She made this decision so that wherever Marc was stationed, she could always get a job. That was very important. As an enlisted person, Marc was unable to make sufficient income to adequately support the family. Dianne’s contribution to the family income was critical at the time.

Dianne was predeceased in death by her father, Samuel Dothis Widner, her mother, Bertha Versie Widner (Clayton), and seven brothers and sisters. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Marcus Braer, son Jerold Scott Braer, and daughter Michelle Lynn Braer; 5 grandchildren, Dianna Marie Braer, Christine Lynn Braer, Candace Marie Martinez, Robert Eugene Pennington, and Rachele Rose Pennington; and 5 great-grandchildren, Audiana Braer, Santiago Martinez, Marcos Florez, Espinoza Florez, and Elysia Martinez.

Dianne told everyone she met she has had a wonderful life with no regrets. She has been to Europe, the Far East, visited many places she probably never would have had the chance to see, and was blessed with a wonderful marriage, two wonderful children, 5 beautiful grandchildren, and 5 amazing great-grandchildren.

The family requests in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the American Cancer Society in Dianne’s memory.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Phoenix Memorial Park and Mortuary, located at 200 W Beardsley Road, Phoenix, Arizona, 85027. The service is scheduled for November 7, 2025, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.