Kathleen Farrell Bragaw

Kathleen Delores Marie Farrell Bragaw January 4th 1939 - March 2nd 2026 Kathy Bragaw died Monday March 2nd. She passed peacefully in her sleep, at home, attended by her devoted husband and family, after a long journey with Alzheimer’s. She was 87 years old. Born in Queens, New York, in 1939 to Marie and Louis Girard Farrell, Kathy was the fourth of five children in a large and vibrant neighborhood around St. Mary Gate of Heaven Roman Catholic parish in Jamica, Queens. Educated in Brooklyn at Our Lady of Wisdom Academy and St Joseph’s College, she later earned her Master in Education from Boston University, and a Master in Business Administration at the Hartford Graduate Center of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She married U.S. Coast Guard officer Louis K. Bragaw Jr. in 1961. Settling in East Lyme Connecticut as Lou became a professor at the Coast Guard Academy, she was the devoted mother of three sons: Louis K. Bragaw III, Stephen G. Bragaw, and Joseph J. Bragaw. She was a teacher, a special education dyslexia reading specialist, and taught two generations of East Lyme school children how to read. She was a talented artist and water colorist who exhibited her works in art shows in Connecticut and Florida. She loved to read, to garden, to cook, to listen to classical music, and to play golf. Most of all she loved spending time with her family. After retirement, Kathy and Lou split their time between Mumford Cove in Groton, CT, and Jupiter Inlet Colony in Florida. She loved living on the water, and the changing of the seasons of life at the water. She was devoted to her family above all, to her beloved husband, children, and grandchildren. She was devoted to her faith, and led a quiet and deeply spiritual life. She was a member of St. Jude Catholic Church in Tequesta, FL. She is survived by her husband of 64 years Captain Louis K. Bragaw Jr.; her sons Louis, Stephen, and Joseph; her daughters in law Kari, Wendy, and Lisa; and nine grandchildren: Elinor, Billy, Brett, Tim, John, Blake, Madeline, Adelaide, & Quentin; and granddaughter in law Julia. She was predeceased by her sisters Marie, Theresa, and Joan, and is survived by her brother Robert Farrell and his wife Laura, and dozens of nieces, nephews, and cousins. Family and friends will gather this summer for a memorial service and internment at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Chapel in New London, CT. She was beloved of all, and her memory is a blessing to so many. May the souls of the faithful departed in the mercy of God rest in peace.

Kathleen Farrell Bragaw

January 4, 1939 - March 2, 2026