Joyce Elaine (Bailey) Brautigam

Elaine was born Aug. 23, 1950, in Memphis, TN, to Hildria Leon Bailey and Jack Elaine Bailey. As a child, she lived in Memphis, TN; Wheaton, IL; Arcadia, CA; and Weston, MA, graduating from Weston High School in 1968. She earned her A.A. in Liberal Arts from Bay Path Junior College in 1970, her B.S. in Speech and English Education from Syracuse University in 1972, and her M.A. in Speech Communications from Syracuse University in 1974.

Elaine married Donald Brautigam in 1973 in Huntington Valley, PA. Her faith became much more real to her during her time in graduate school, when she and Don volunteered as youth leaders at their church. In 1974, she became an Army wife, first at Fort Benning, GA, and then at Fort Sill, OK. In 1979, the growing Brautigam family moved to Chautauqua County, a first time living in a rural area for Elaine. She became a valued member of the community, where she tutored foreign professionals, served on the Westfield Hospital Auxiliary Board, spoke regularly for the Christian Women’s Club, volunteered with Literacy Volunteers, and started the Westfield chapter of MOPS (for mothers of preschoolers). She was active in Christ Community Church in Fredonia, NY, since its founding in 1988, most recently as a nursery volunteer.

Elaine worked in the billing department of Westfield Family Physicians then stepped into the role of Office Manager during a time of crisis for the business. The staff grew to over 50 people during her time in that role, and she coordinated the practice’s move to a new facility, which she helped to design. After training her successor, Elaine responded to a need at Great Lakes Medical Research, working there as an administrative assistant for several years.

Elaine raised her four daughters with husband Don, who worked long and irregular hours. In 1987, they traveled, with children aged 4 to 12, to a rural mission hospital in Kenya for a three-month mission trip. They had to bring their own linens and dishes (and candy bars), but she still managed to host meals for medical students and other additions to the family often. The outreach trip ended up being the first of many, with impacts that will last beyond her lifetime. She compiled stories of some of her experiences in a book (I Am Sho Sho Too), the proceeds of which she donated to a Kenyan children’s hospital. Countless readers whose lives have been touched by her writing have sent notes of appreciation for her book.

Elaine’s proudest accomplishment was raising strong, independent daughters. One of her favorite sayings was, “There’s nothing we women can’t do!” She went to practices, concerts, plays, sporting events, and music lessons. She hosted numerous sleepovers and after-concert desserts. She and the family made the long trip each year to Florida to visit her relatives. In more recent years, Elaine loved being a mother-in-law and Grammy. She traveled for the birth of each new grandchild, even to Scotland. Her daughters remember her painting cabinets, cleaning out refrigerators, doing laundry, and singing newborns to sleep. As Grammy, she hosted sleepovers, bought thoughtful gifts, read countless books, and made many road trips to spend time with her grandchildren. A core family memory is the yearly summer vacation at Camp of the Woods, where Elaine and Don loved to witness the bonding between daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren.

Elaine quietly befriended people throughout her life, serving behind-the-scenes in ways we will never know and extending hospitality to many. She hosted dozens of medical students, even packing their lunches each day. She cheerfully brought children’s friends on family trips, drove their friends to church, and shared Jesus with people from all walks of life. She graciously opened her home to missionaries and those in need. Elaine hosted three exchange students, from France, Greenland, and Russia. She never sought recognition or praise.

The family is grateful for the loving visits, messages, and gifts to Elaine in her final days, with special thanks to Nan Bartkowiak, who traveled from Colorado, and Kristopher and Rebecca Hartwig, who came from Virginia, for providing hospice care in the Brautigam home.

Elaine was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her sister Cynthia (Kathleen Young) Bailey, brother William (Kim) Bailey, aunt Joyce Massey, and cousin Patricia (John) Fogg, as well as her beloved husband Donald Brautigam, daughters Heidi (Keith) Kaminski, Jill (J. Michael) Jordan, Joy (David) Sonju, and Laura (Eric) Anderson, and seventeen grandchildren: Logan, Ethan, and Charlotte Kaminski; Grace, John “Jack,” Gabriel, Lucy, and Anne Jordan; Elizabeth “Ellie,” Ian, Josiah, Esther, and Elijah Sonju; and Rook, Alec, Arden, and Jael Anderson. She is also survived by many siblings-in-law, nieces, and nephews.

Calling hours will be on Sunday, Dec. 29, from 2 to 5 pm at Christ Community Church, 219 Berry Road, Fredonia, NY. The funeral will be held at 11 am on Monday, Dec. 30, also at Christ Community Church, with a luncheon to follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Bethany Kids (BethanyKids.org), providing hospital care to children in Africa, or to CMDA of WNY (CMDAWNY.org), serving Christian healthcare students and workers in Western NY.

Arrangements entrusted to Morse Funeral Home Brocton, New York

Online condolences may be made at www.themorsefuneralhome.com.