Ruth Braren

1935 - 2025

Ruth Braren

November 27, 1935 - November 16, 2025

Ruth T. Braren, 89, of Rock Island, Ill., died of natural causes three minutes before sunrise on November 16, 2025.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. on November 27, 1935 to the late John and Lucy (Dunne) Traeg, Ruth was the younger of two children. She first lived on Waverly Place in Manhattan, but soon the family moved to Forest Hills in Queens, where she grew up and graduated from Forest Hills High School. In 1956, she graduated magna cum laude from Wagner College in Staten Island, N.Y. with a B.S. in early childhood education.

After college, Ruth lived with her parents in Forest Hills for a few years, and was a kindergarten teacher at Lawrence School System No. 15 in Inwood, N.Y. During the early 1960s, she moved to East 79th Street in Manhattan and earned an M.S. in Early Childhood Development from Hunter College, then returned to Inwood to teach kindergarten and second grade. During a Wagner College alumni event in the early 1970s, she met fellow alumnus Howard Braren. They married in 1972 and moved to East Moline, Ill., where they started building what became a thriving fundraising consulting business. Ruth's exceptional skills in client relationships, office operations, and hospitality contributed to the success and prominence of the business throughout the midwestern U.S.

Ruth was a founding member of Visiting Artists of the Quad Cities, secretary of the Lawrence Teachers Association, a member of the Wagner College Alumni Association board, and the Junior Service League of Moline. She was also a substitute teacher for Skip-A-Long Daycare.

Ruth was a sweet, extra-special person who enjoyed music, especially playing the piano, reading, doing needlepoint and traveling. She actively participated in various school councils and fundraising projects. She was always lending a hand, and constantly thinking of the needs of others before her own. She loved spending time at her vacation home on Peach Lake in North Salem, N.Y., where since childhood she and her sister enjoyed many happy summers and made cherished memories. Ruth loved animals, and rescued many pets throughout her life. While growing up, she had various dogs, cats, and bunnies. During college she had her rabbit, Honeybun, then later her beloved German shepherd Blitzen, and after that, a collie, Vicki, by her side. She also loved driving convertibles – first a Triumph, then a Malibu and two Sebrings.

Ruth is survived by her husband, Howard; stepchildren, Eric Braren of Arizona and Cynthia Braren of Vermont; step-grandsons, Noah Ranallo (wife Deidre and son Orrin) and Micah Ranallo of Vermont; and niece, Deborah Dowling (husband Peter) of Stamford, Conn. She was preceded in death by her sister, Elizabeth, and their parents. She and her family are grateful for the compassionate care and support she received from the staff of Friendship Manor and Beacon of Hope Hospice. Interment will be private.

Ruth indicated her wish that in lieu of flowers or other memorials, she would be grateful for donations to any of these organizations that were close to her heart: the Quad Cities Animal Welfare Center (qcawc.org) 724 2nd Ave. W. Milan, Ill. 61264, or the Howard and Ruth Braren Scholarship Fund at Wagner College (wagner.edu), One Campus Road, Staten Island, N.Y. 10301, or Bideawee Animal Shelter (bideawee.org), 3300 Beltagh Ave, Wantagh, N.Y. 11793.

Condolences may be left at RaffertyFunerals.com.