Mrs. Dorothy Brailas

Funeral services for Mrs. Dorothy Brailas, age 88, of Nacogdoches, Texas, will be at 9 a.m. Friday, August 19, 2011, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Brendan Pelphrey of St. George Orthodox Church in Shreveport, La., officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park. Mrs. Brailas was born January 26, 1923, in Eastland, Texas, to the late Katherine Andrews Pratley and Nicholas Pratley. She passed away August 15, 2011, in Nacogdoches, Texas. Dorothy graduated in 1941 from Ball High School in Galveston. She attended Hillsboro Junior College and Sam Houston State Teacher's College before graduating with a degree in education from the University of Texas. She received her master's degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She married Louis Brailas June 19, 1949, in Galveston at Hellenic Orthodox Church. They made their home in Houston, where Dorothy taught sixth and fourth grades for many years at Shearn Elementary School. She was a very dedicated teacher and was selected three times as teacher of the year. After retiring from HISD, she was a popular substitute teacher for 10 years at Annunciation Orthodox School. Dorothy and Louis moved to Nacogdoches in 1998. Mrs. Brailas was a member of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Houston and the Nacogdoches Chapter of AARP. Survivors include sons and daughters-in-law, Robert and Deborah Brailas of Austin and Dr. Jeffrey and Martha Brailas of Houston; daughter and son-in-law, Carrie and Dr. Gerard Ventura of Nacogdoches; sister, Helen Jelson of Houston; brother, Dr. James Pratley of Galveston; and five grandchildren, Christopher, Nicholas and Matthew Brailas and Brian and Meredith Ventura. She is preceded in death by her husband and parents. Active pallbearers will be Christopher Brailas, Nicholas Brailas, Matthew Brailas and John Spencer. Visitation will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. Thursday, August 18, 2011, at Laird Funeral Home with a Trisagion following at 7 p.m. Memorial donations can be made to Saint George Greek Orthodox Church 1719 Creswell Avenue, Shreveport, Louisiana 71101; Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 3511 Yoakum Blvd., Houston, Texas 77006 or Nacogdoches Treatment Center, 119 Hughes St., Nacogdoches, Texas 77961. To offer your condolences or to sign an online register, please log onto www.lairdfh.net. Laird Funeral Home.