Beatrice Davis (Williams) Brannen was born January 23, 1916 on a farm near Oakland, Iowa to James Sylvester Williams and Katherine Blanche Davis. Beatrice passed away on February 18, 2017 at the Elm Heights Care Center in Shenandoah, Iowa at the age of 101.

Bea grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa and graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School. She was united in marriage to Charles Howard Brannen at Holy Family Catholic Church in Council Bluffs, Iowa. In 1936, they moved to Shenandoah where Howard went into the retail grocery business and where they raised their large family of thirteen children. Bea was a faithful member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and served in St. Mary's Altar Guild. She and Howard attended the many sporting events and school activities of their children.

Bea was a caring and loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She was affectionately known as "Grandma Bea." She was a great cook and enjoyed preparing meals for her huge family, especially at holidays. She was very artistic whether it was constructing May baskets or bridal favors, decorating birthday cakes, designing church banners, or sewing memorable Christmas stockings for her grandchildren. She was competitive at completing crossword puzzles and sharp at playing bridge with her friends. Bea and Howard enjoyed spending family vacations at Lake Okoboji and later traveling to visit their adult children and friends. The grandchildren remember the trips to the donut shop and the famous Grandma Bea Easter egg hunts - with a twinkle in her eye, Grandma Bea would find that each grandchild had a "prize" egg.

Bea was preceded in death by her husband of sixty-one years, Howard Brannen; her parents James and Katherine Williams; her only sibling, Col. Carroll James Williams; son James Brannen (Kay), infant son John Brannen, son-in-law Jeffrey Fishbaugh (Alexis), daughter-in-law Sarita Workman Brannen (Chuck), daughter-in-law Barbara Sheridan Brannen (Jerry), son-in-law Harvey Adam (Regina), significant other Vikki Dickinson (Ed) and grandson William Patrick Brannen (Jerry and Barbara).

Bea is survived by her children, Regina Adam, Dr. William Brannen (Kathleen), Jerry Brannen, Dr. Charles Brannen, Edward Brannen, Patrick Brannen (Kay), Angela Yaeger (John), Valori O'Meara (Steve), Terry Brannen (Mary Ann), Alexis Rainey (John), and Stephan Brannen (Sheila). She was blessed with 41 grandchildren, 85 great-grandchildren, 15 great-great-grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:00 a.m., Thursday, February 23, 2017 at the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Shenandoah.

Prayer service will be held 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 22, 2017 at the Hackett-Livingston Funeral Home in Shenandoah followed by visitation with the family until 7:00 p.m.

Burial will be held at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Shenandoah.

Memorials may be directed to the Iowa Council for the United Blind or St. Mary's Catholic Church.