Obituary of Carl Braley

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Carlton “Carl” Braley, at the age of 95, on January 2, 2020. A loving husband, father, teacher, and lifelong learner, it would be nearly impossible to find a kinder person than Carl. Born in Auburn, Maine, Carl came of age during the Great Depression. The strain on his family and everyone he knew left a lifelong impression of the importance of being frugal and of appreciation for what he had. Carl enlisted in the Navy in 1943 where he earned the rank Seaman First Class with the Seabees and was stationed in the South Pacific. There he participated in the Battle of Peleliu, where it took 73 days to secure the island, and is called the bitterest battle of the war for the Marines. The carnage Carl witnessed there, and after visiting Nagasaki, made him believe that war was a waste of lives and there were better ways to resolve conflicts. After the war, Carl studied at Farmington State Teacher’s College, where he met his sweetheart and future wife Olive. They were married soon after graduating, and both began a life of teaching in public schools. Later he earned his Masters degree in Education from the University of Maine. Throughout the years, Carl was a principal, an elementary supervisor, and a teacher of several grade levels, including in a three room schoolhouse. He worked in education for 33 years. It was not uncommon for students to see Carl 50 years later and remark on how grateful they were for his influence. Carlton was predeceased by his father Archie, mother Mary, and stepfather Fred Packard, his sister Faye Bernier, and stepbrother Bill Packard. He is survived by his wife and best friend of 65 years Olive, his sons Dave and wife Debbie, Jim and wife Meg, and Jeff, his grandchildren Shandrea, Jeshua, Benjamin, and Rebecca, two great-grandchildren, two sisters, Joanne Daigle and husband Raoul, Mary Lou DeFeo, and many nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank the VA at Togus, and Northern Light Hospice for all their loving care. A memorial service will be held at the Unity United Methodist Church on January 11, 2020 at 11:00. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to either Unity United Methodist Church at 13 Depot St, Unity, ME 04988, or Northern Light Hospice at https://northernlighthealth.org/Locations/Foundation/Ways-To-Give.