By HDN staff
STELLA (DEMARTIN) BRAFFORD
RUDYARD Stella (DeMartin) Brafford, 85, died Sunday, May 9, 1999, at a Las Vegas hospital.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Calvary Evangelical Church in Rudyard. Graveside services will be 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Highland Cemetery in Havre.
Brafford was born May 22, 1913, north of Rudyard, to Joseph and Claire (Edgar) DeMartin. She received her early education at the Prairie Ridge School near her home. She graduated from Rudyard High School in 1932. She remained on the family farm for a few years following graduation.
In 1940 she attended the Seattle Business College. Later she moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where she was employed as a secretary.
On Sept. 4, 1942, she married William Brafford. The couple moved to Colorado. They were later divorced.
In 1945 she moved back to Rudyard. She was employed as a cook at the Rudyard School in 1949. She moved to Baker and was employed as a cook for the school system there. She moved back to Rudyard a year later. She was employed as a bookkeeper at the Sanvik Brothers Store until her retirement in 1975.
After a serious medical problem this February, she moved to Las Vegas to be near her daughter.
Brafford enjoyed vegetable and flower gardening, reading and cooking. She also enjoyed watching and feeding birds and rabbits, traveling, and spending time with her friends. She was a member of the Calvary Evangelical Church in Rudyard.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Howard DeMartin, a sister, Renee Huntley, and a grandson, Kent Brafford.
Survivors include two daughters, Judy Froehlich of Gillette, Wyo., and Lois Slater of Las Vegas, Nev.; a son, Jim Brafford of Severance, Colo.; four grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Undesignated memorials will be given to the church.
Rockman Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
