Marie Brado

Marie (Bittner) Brado, 98, of St. Joseph, died Sunday, September 14, 2008, at Royalton Manor in St. Joseph, as a result of complications following hip surgery. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:30 A.M. Wednesday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery. Friends may call beginning at 10:30 A.M. Wednesday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Salvation Army Disaster Relief Fund. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Marie was the oldest of ten children born to Albert & Therese (Dorow) Bittner, two of whom survive her-Viola Vanderbeck of St. Joseph & Elaine Brouwer of Kalamazoo. She is also survived by one son David (Nancy) Brado of Ball Ground, GA; three grandchildren-William (Lecia) Brado, Karen (Greg) Allen, James (Marci) Brado; and seven great-grandchildren-David & Elizabeth Brado, Jacob VanderWal, Gillian Allen, Chadd & Cole Brado, & David Policastro. She was preceded by her husband Robert, brothers Allen, Richard, & Alvin Bittner, and sisters Lorraine Bittner, Clara Brown, Ella Ball, & Lucille Ziemer. Marie was employed for over fifty years at Troost Bros. Furniture in St. Joseph as their bookkeeper. She was a life long member of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ. Marie enjoyed gardening, bowling, and helping her neighbors.