Brandy Lee Braley

Brandy Lee Braley, 43, passed away unexpectedly at her home in West Hartford, on Thursday, July 25, 2024.
Born in Middletown, Brandy is survived by her younger brothers Jason and Russell Braley. In addition to her love of family, she also leaves behind countless friends, as well as the love of her life, fiancé James Dumont.
Brandy was preceded in death by her grandparents, Charles H. Hannum and Shirley (Wagner) Hannum, as well as her mother, Lori (Hannum) Santos, whom Brandy and her family dearly and deeply missed every day since her own untimely passing in 2016.
Brandy prided herself on higher learning. Her determination to pursue an education led her to achieve a master's degree in both Psychology and Justice/Security from the University of Phoenix. Brandy resided in numerous locations throughout life while following a successful career in loss prevention. These included Danbury, Bethel, New Fairfield, Ansonia and West Hartford, CT, as well as a residence in Northern NJ for a number of years while working for a prestigious corporation, excelling at apprehending criminal activity.
Anyone who knew Brandy knew that her devotion and loyalty to friends was unbounded. She was always willing to create memories and was no stranger to traveling and shenanigans. Simultaneously, Brandy also loved just hanging out in the comfort of her living room with James and her fur babies, Ria and Pocky. Their door was always open to friends and family, and Brandy was forever willing to listen, as well as give fantastic advice in return. Even when those words were harsh, she was brutally honest and on point at all times.
Brandy had a love for all animals, particularly cats. Her own kittens were adopted from a shelter down south and were the sweetest babies to Brandy and James. She most recently fostered a litter of kittens who lost their mother and were abandoned. Brandy did not think twice about taking them in and formula feeding them until they were strong enough to be adopted from the shelter.
Brandy had a remarkable level of creativity and artistic skill. She enjoyed a unique talent for scrapbooking, as well as coloring and shading. She respected all kinds of music, and her ability to capture photographs of sunsets was mesmerizing.
The most memorable quality that Brandy possessed was her strength and ability to see beauty in an often cruel and unfair world. She expressed a fearlessness and positivity, incomparable to most, both in her work and personal life. She lived a life of her choosing and never stopped dreaming, for the best that was yet to come.
Her departure comes as a great shock and a deep wound to all who knew her.
Calling hours will be Friday, August 9th, from 2:00pm to 5:00pm at the Sheehan Hilborn Breen Funeral Home, 1084 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 10th, from 2:00pm to 7:00pm at 49 Batt Street, Middletown. It will be a casual affair in a backyard setting. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Brandy's name may be made to "Feral Cats of East Windsor", PO Box 198, East Windsor, CT 06088. Brandy's family has set-up a GoFundMe at https://gofund.me/41c1a0fc to help with expenses. Online condolences may be made at www.SheehanHilbornBreen.com