Mary Beth Baehr

Mary Beth Baehr, 63, died in her home in Covington, Louisiana, surrounded by love on July 17, 2024, following a year-long battle with Creutzfeldt Jakob's disease. A devoted wife and mother, she is survived by me, David Aaron Brackett, and her most remarkable legacy, our daughter, Chloe Marie Brackett, 18, who will be attending Louisiana State University this fall. Mary Beth, a native of New Orleans, was a welcoming soul whose smile and laughter were contagious. Like most New Orleanians she enjoyed music, cooking, and sharing her special blend of Southern Hospitality with others.

Though in most recent years Mary Beth served primarily as a full-time wife, mother, and caretaker for our "maturing" family members, she had previously retired from FedEx as a Ramp Manager after 15 years of service, and also served in Store Manager positions for Barnes and Noble, Channel Control Merchants, and Pier One Imports. She also served as Fraud Prevention Manager for Hancock Whitney Bank. Many of her former employees remember her fondly as "the best manager they ever worked for." Though her management style was steeped in high expectations, accountability, and toughness, Mary Beth genuinely cared about each of her employees as a person, and always sought to encourage each individual to discover his or her own strengths so as to become the very best "customer service-oriented" version of his or herself. This level of individual focus often resulted in the over encompassing success of the team, as many times the stores and departments under her direction were among the most successful in the corporations she served, and thus were often chosen to help develop best practices and set standards for others. Chloe and I were able to witness and learn from Mary Beth in this capacity also during our business venture into the outdoor retail market with "La Louisiane Patio, Garden, and Gifts," which we owned and operated as a family prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. Like many of her previous employees and counterparts, Mary Beth taught us much during this time, which will continue to shape the way we solve problems and relate to customers, clients, and employees for the rest of our lives.

Mary Beth was also preceded in death by her mother, Dianne Leininger Baehr; her father Lloyd "Buddy" Baehr, Jr.; one child, Lauren Dianne Brackett; two sisters, Kelly Baehr and Christen Baehr; and one brother, Patrick Baehr. Along with Chloe and I, she is survived by her brothers and Sisters- Lloyd, George; Benjamin, Peter, Stephen, Jeffrey, Melody, Bethany, Hannah, and Esther- along with their respective beloved spouses and children. She also leaves a legacy of love with her most awesome Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Nieces, Nephews, extended family, in-laws and adoring friends.

We will gather to celebrate Mary Beth's life at St. Rose DeLima Catholic Church in Bay St. Louis on August 3, 2024. Visitation will begin at 9:30 AM with a funeral mass to follow at 11:00 AM. There will be a Celebration of Life at the St. Rose DeLima Parish hall following the mass. You may also choose to participate in her ongoing celebration of life on the Facebook page for Aaron Brackett. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary Beth's name to the Creutzfeldt Jakob's foundation

https://cjdfoundation.org/donations/. Thank you for your continued love and prayers. Shalom.