Edna Seaton Brigham

Edna Seaton Brigham, wife of the late Robert Brigham, died on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2007. She was born the daughter of the late Ezra and Winifred Seaton of Glen Carbon. She maintained ties with family, teachers and friends in Glen Carbon throughout her life. She met her husband while completing her college degree at Illinois State University. They married on Sept. 7, 1947, and began 57 years of a partnership.

She is survived by three children: Ann Brazil and husband, Jerry, Ken Brigham and wife, Dewie, and Tom Brigham and wife, Nancy. A fourth child, Sarah Gruber, preceded her in death. She had seven grandchildren: Paul Boyd and wife, Rochelle, Richard Boyd, Curtis Brazil and wife, Leticia, Travis Brazil, Adam Brigham, Robin Brigham and Kelly Brigham; and five great-grandchildren: Jesse, Castle, Kaylin, Brishay and Easton.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister: Fay O'Hare; and two brothers: Glen and Lester Seaton.

Mrs. Brigham maintained an active involvement in educational, civic and social service organizations for her entire lifetime. She was a founder and co-owner of the Fountain Gallery of Art in Portland, Ore., was a consultant with the Foundation Center in New York, N.Y., and was acting president of the organization.

In 1972, she began a long career with the University of Nevada system. She was employed in Reno as a development consultant and officer for the School of Medical Sciences. She worked on fund-raising and project coordination for numerous medical center buildings, including the Edna S. Brigham Clinical Education Building and Family Practice Center. She worked to consolidate many independent funds into an endowment fund to generate more capital to improve the University and received many recognitions. She also served on the board of directors for the Reno Cancer Center, as well as the board of trustees of The Desert Research Institute.

Following her retirement from the University of Nevada Medical School, Mrs. Brigham was instrumental in the construction of Fellowship Hall for the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Nevada, devoting many hours to the landscaping around the Fellowship Hall.

Memorial services will be conducted at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 4, at the Fellowship Hall at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Nevada.

Memorials are suggested to the Garden Fund at The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Nevada, 780 Del Monte Lane, Reno, NV 89511.