Frances Lynn Braff

Frances Lynn Braff (80), of Farmington, NM, passed peacefully from this life on July 20, 2022. Frances was born February 25, 1942, to parents Lloyd & Ruth Braff in Chicago, IL. Fran grew up in Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, and Southern California. The family returned to Dallas in 1958, where she graduated from Bryan Adams High School in 1960. She attended North Texas State University, earned a BA in Elementary Education in 1964, and took a job as a teacher at Reinhardt Elementary in Dallas. She taught grades 3-7 at Reinhardt for 35 years until her retirement in October of 2000. As a teacher, Fran's peers described her as professional, humorous, innovative, creative, enthusiastic, caring, and organized. Her principals called her a master teacher who never forgot that she was teaching children first and subject matter second. Upon hearing of her death, former students commented that she was their favorite teacher, inspired several to become teachers, inspired a passion for history in another, taught another one to speak English, and that she was beautiful inside and out.
Upon her retirement, she moved to Farmington to be closer to family. She worked part time at Sylvan Learning and later was a volunteer at the Gateway Museum. She loved to putter in her yard and enjoyed the freedom of being retired. She loved her dog Maggie, whom she adopted from the animal shelter in 2015. She looked forward to adventures with her sister, Debbie, to yearly "cousin adventures," and to summer visits from "the kids" from England. She proudly lived independently until a few days before her death. Her former students, her friends-both old and new, and her relatives were blessed to be part of a life well lived. A quote from a friend, "80 years is a nice long life, and it seems like she spent her days very well. Her journey as a human concludes, but her journey as a good spirit continues on. She is a kind soul and left good teachings that will echo into generations to come."
Frances is preceded in death by her parents, Lloyd & Ruth Braff, and her brother, Doug Braff. She is survived by her sister, Debbie Braff of Farmington, NM, her niece, Katherine (Robin) Bayliss of Upper Rissington, England, and her great-nieces, Emily Bayliss of London, England and Rosie Bayliss of Oxford, England.
There will be a Celebration of Frances' Life on Saturday, August 13, 2022, at 3:00 pm at 400 E. 38th St. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Farmington Regional Animal Shelter, https://fmtn.org/173/Animal-Shelter.
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