Ann Brentlinger Bragg, Class of 1956

Ann Brentlinger Bragg ’56 died August 5, 2020. Born Feb. 25, 1935 in Boston, Massachusetts to the late Howard and Alice Ressler Brentlinger ’18, Ann grew up in Belmont, MA where she graduated from Belmont High School. She attended Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio where she was involved in volleyball, choir, Tan & Cardinal, Sibyl, Tau epsilon mu (Talisman) and honorary Phi Alpha Theta (History). In her later years, she enjoyed traveling the country with the Otterbein Alumni Travelers and was a Lifetime President’s Club Member.

Ann met the late Ralph Bragg ’56 her freshman year at Otterbein and they were married in Boston, MA in the spring of their senior year. After Graduation from Otterbein, they moved to Cambridge, MA where Ralph attended Harvard Law School.

Ann was a certified teacher and taught as a substitute teacher for Toledo Public Schools and with the Headstart Program for Rossford Schools. Ralph and Ann were active members of Park Congregational Church for over 50 years. At Park, Ann taught Sunday school, served on various boards, committees and circles, coached girls’ basketball, and volunteered as a leader of the youth group (including mission trips to New England and West Virginia).

Ann was a volunteer for the Toledo Society for the Blind and received its Volunteer of the Year award in 1998. She served on the Board of Grace Community Center. She also volunteered with Feed Your Neighbor, Mobile Meals, St. Paul’s Community Center, Care for the Homeless, Read for Literacy, Cub Scouts, Maumee Children’s Center, American Cancer Society, and the Toledo Museum of Art. She also loved the Metropolitan Park District of the Toledo Area where she served as a volunteer naturalist and trail partner for children and persons with special needs. She was active with the Toledo Bar Association Auxiliary, and volunteered at her children’s schools. She was very proud of the certificate she received from Mayor Harry Kessler for her role in naming the Seagate Centre in downtown Toledo.

Ann was predeceased in death by her husband of 60 years, Ralph ’56, and her siblings, Howard, Caroline ’51 and Pauline. She is survived by daughter, Cathy (Steve) Leinbaugh; sons, Michael (Sharon) Bragg, James ’83 (Holly) Bragg, and John (Janet) Bragg; grandchildren and great-grandchildren.