Kassandra Arielle Braun

Kassandra Arielle Braun, “Kassie”, 20, of Fishers, Indiana passed away Tuesday, November 7, 2017 while living her dreams and having the time of her life on a semester abroad program. Kassie was born December 19, 1996 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and is survived by her loving parents, David and Chalene Braun, her brothers, Skyler and Kavan, her sister, Kyleigh, and countless extended family members and dear friends, including Eric Miller, the love of her life. Kassie’s infectiously caring and nurturing spirit allowed her to openly share her life and vibrant perspective with those around her. She was truly an example of God’s love on this earth. When Kassie’s younger sister, Kyleigh, was born, she nicknamed her Dolly and innately began caring for her as if she were her own precious doll. Kassie rallied support for her beloved Cathedral High School’s activities ensuring that her brother, Kavan and his friends were also involved. She was Kavan’s biggest cheerleader. Kassie was exceptionally proud of Skyler’s accomplishments in the U.S Armed Forces and relished his proximity to her in Austin since he has been stationed at Fort Hood. Kassie persuaded her parents to enroll her at Cathedral High School where she thrived. As a dance member, cheerleader, lacrosse player, and cross-country runner, Kassie wasn’t afraid to acknowledge her weaknesses, often laughing them off and doing her best to be a team player and have fun. In areas where she excelled, especially skiing, Kassie exhibited grace, skill, and finesse. Despite her natural abilities, Kassie would spend all day on the easier trails enjoying the slopes and selflessly nurturing less confident skiers. Her selflessness also showed in her passion for philanthropy. She was a member of Life Teen for Catholic Youth Ministry, leading many retreats and serving on Holy Spirit at Geist’s Parish Youth Council. At Cathedral, she led the underclassman retreats and initiated the school’s annual Walk for a Purpose. Kassie graduated from Cathedral in 2015 earning a full scholarship for outstanding leadership and community service to St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas where she majored in Communications and participated in study abroad programs that allowed her to embrace the University’s call to “take on your world.” At St. Edwards, Kassie was known for her positive energy encouraging others to similarly seize the day and celebrate life. She worked 3 summer jobs to afford travel and have unique experiences abroad. Kassie sought a career in corporate social responsibility, seeking to improve corporate community and philanthropic involvement and encourage employee participation. But Kassie was unwilling to wait for her post-graduate professional career to begin to have an impact. As a recipient of Semester at Sea’s Impact Service-Learning Scholarship, Kassie was honored to serve in country and brought her experiences abroad back to others. Her role in country was to learn, interact, and assist in programs, so she could bring that experience home, share it to broaden perspectives, encourage others to travel and also change lives. Kassie’s impact was a direct result of her vision, initiative, and compassion. Kassie was always up for adventure, which became obvious in her childhood when she wore extra tall shoes to beat roller coaster height restrictions. She wisely knew to talk to her dad, instead of her momma, about cage diving with sharks in South Africa, paragliding off Table Mountain, and skiing in the Alps. Kassie was a beautiful young woman living out her dreams and that joy and beauty can be seen in her photography. She was passionate about capturing her experiences on camera and sharing her journey. The picture of Kassie in front of the Taj Mahal captures her inner and outer beauty including her respect for others. Yet even that joy and beauty is surpassed by the preciousness of her soul and the way she shared herself with others, the “Holy Cross Way”. Visitation will be 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm Friday, November 24, 2017 at Cathedral High School, 5225 E 56th St., Indianapolis,Indiana. Her Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 am Saturday, November 25, 2017 at Holy Spirit Parish at Geist, 10350 Glaser Way, Fishers, Indiana. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Kassie’s memory be made to a new charity that is being established in Kassie’s memory called www.KassieKares.org or to a specific scholarship in memory of Kassie at Global Engagement Opportunities Programs Abroad Annual Scholarship at St. Edwards University Office of University Advancement, 3001 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas, 78704. Online go to: http://bitly.com/GEOkassie If your browser does not support this link, there is a donation link that will also direct you to this site on www.kassiekares.org website. Online condolences may be made at www.feeneyhornakkeystone.com