Dorothy Helen Braden

Dorothy was born on April 9th 1937 in her family home on Kennedy St in the Frankford section of Philadelphia Pennsylvania by her mothers friend who was a midwife. They later moved across the street and she lived there until she married. The name Dorothy meant, “Gift from God”. Dorothy was born without a middle name. She chose “Helen” as her middle name after a friend of her mothers who would allow them to come over and watch the Black and White TV because they didn’t own a TV. She liked watching Milton Berle. She thought he was hilarious.

Dorothy attended Henry Wadsworth Longfellow school from grades 1-6 in the Frankford neighborhood of Philadelphia. She spent her middle school years attending Harding Junior high and Graduated from Frankford High school in 1955.

Dorothy started working at an early age in order to help her parents save money for her wedding. At the age of 16, she had her first job working in the front office for Fogel Refrigeration Co. She also worked at Fayette R. Plumb Tool Company alongside her sister Millie making hammer handles. After moving to Texas in 1959 she got a job at H.L. Hunt Company on the factory line making dimmer switches where she was required to make 65 units per day. Dorothy was a Manager for Shipley Donuts and worked as cashier for Gibson’s department store. While working for Curtis 1000 she had the opportunity to meet Cher and Meryl Streep that were filming the movie “Silkwood” in the building. Dorothy had a variety of other jobs during her lifetime. In 2002 she retired from American Airlines were she worked in baggage claims and the Advantage Miles departments. She was a hard worker with a great work ethic which she passed down to her children.

Dorothy believed in love at first sight. She was at the Navy dock waiting to see her cousin Stanley. She spotted her cousin on the ship and alongside him was a handsome man that happened to also be a friend of her cousin. She took one look at him and said “That is the man I’m going to marry”. She later met her soon to be husband, Windol Braden for the first time on New years eve in 1953. They were engaged on May 21st, 1955 and married January 7th, 1956 at St Valentines Polish National Church in Philadelphia.

Dorothy was a giver. She volunteered her time and energy over the years giving back. One of the first volunteer jobs she had was walking the neighborhood door to door collecting donations for the American Cancer Society. H.E.B. hospital Emergency and information desk was another. She worked as a counselor on the Suicide Crisis Intervention Hotline. One Thanksgiving she served hot meals to Aids Patients with her son Michael and his husband Chris at a Residential House for Aids patients in Oak Cliff. Dorothy spent many hours doing church visitation at every church she attended. She would visit patients in the hospital passing out soap bars in netting with ribbons to make them look like a fish and included a flower bouquet with a scripture attached. Dorothy spent time answering the phones at Arlington Charities. At the Grand Prairie Food and clothing CO-OP she would fill sacks with groceries and hand out to those in need. They would distribute turkeys at Thanksgiving. Her last volunteering job was at an assisted living home down the street from where she lived.

While working for American Airlines, as a Benefit of employment, Dorothy was able to travel to places that she would not otherwise been able to visit. While in Paris she was able to see the Eiffel Tower and visit the Louvre. She traveled to Zurich Switzerland and spent time in Germany. Dorothy took many trips across America as well as international destinations, but her all-time favorite was the Islands of Hawaii. She made multiple trips to the Hawaiian island with her husband, family and friends. She felt like it was the most beautiful place she had ever been.

If you were to ask Dorothy what Family means to her she wouldn’t hesitate to tell you Family was everything to her. Dorothy was not just a Wife, Mother, Sister, Grandmother, or Great Grandmother, she was the Rock and Matriarch of the family. As a wife she waited on her husband hand and foot and met him at the door when he arrived home from work to give him a kiss because that was what was expected back then. As a Mother of 4 boys, she put them before herself every time without hesitation. She had a great relationship and friendship with all her sisters and brother and was always willing to talk or just listen whenever they needed her. Dorothy was the best Grandmother and Great Grandmother. She would get down on her knees and play with them. She would play kickball, go bowling, roller skating, play Croquet and board games. On her 75th birthday she went Skydiving at Sky Dive Dallas. It was a running joke that she would tell people that her kids pushed her out of a perfectly good plane. Those are the moments that she cherished the most.

Some people may say that Dorothy was a religious person. She never really thought of herself that way. She believed the term “Woman of Faith” fit her better. For those that knew her, also knew how she believed in the power of Prayer and Faith. She would pray about everything. It didn’t matter how big or small she always took it to God.

The following is a Quote from Dorothy:

“The only tears shed, should be that you will miss me, not that you are sorry I went. If I’m gone, it will mean it was my time. I firmly believe that if one is still breathing it is because God is not finished with you yet. I also believe, that my last breath here will be my next breath in Heaven”

Dorothy is preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Jenni Nowicki; her siblings, Florence, Martin and Millie; her son, Wayne D. Braden; and her granddaughter, Kera A. Braden. She is survived by her sister, Rose M Sozio (Rich); her children Michael W. Braden (Chris), Danny R. Braden, and Scott A. Braden (Sharon); 9 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews, and a great circle of friends.

A visitation for Dorothy will be held Thursday, January 25, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Wood's Methodist Church, 1350 Bardin Rd, Grand Prairie, TX 75052, followed by her funeral at 11:00 AM.