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Historical April–May 2023 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Robert Earl Bracey, age 79, departed this earth Saturday, October 29, 2022, with family by his side. Known affectionately as “Bobby”, Robert was born December 6, 1942, in Jackson, Mississippi.
As the child of a career Navy man, Robert often found himself recalibrating, with his childhood divided between Mississippi, Illinois, California, Florida, Maryland, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Kansas. Robert attended Pittsburgh State University in Pittsburgh, KS where he met the love of his life, Deborah Mack whom he married in 1965 and remained for 57 years.
In 1966, he was drafted into the United States Army to serve in the Vietnam War. Robert went on to a career in accounting and eventually opened his own tax business, Bracey Tax Service. Robert and Deborah had two daughters, Kimberly, and Borah, who they raised in the Skinker DeBaliviere neighborhood in Saint Louis, Missouri.
In 1991 Robert and Deborah relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma to support aging parents.
In 2012, Robert and Deborah relocated one last time back to St. Louis, Missouri, focusing on spending time with their children and grandchildren. Those that knew him, speak of his kindness.
They speak of his goodness and the way he brought joy and a quiet strength to his family and interactions with others. Keith Atkinson and my Simone Atkinson, formerly Simone Maxwell were married on October 23rd.
They are residents of the 6100 block of Westminster. Keith says his family was the first black residents of the Skinker DeBaliviere neighborhood.
He went to St. Roch’s Catholic school, then Dewey Elementary.
He graduated from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri and has an MBA from Webster University.
He is currently working with Serco Inc, which is a subcontractor for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Simone went to Parkway West High School and Truman University and is currently retired.
On March 22, 2023, Dolores (Lola) Judith Hoefel (nee Bozada) joined her beloved husband Gene Robert Hoefel in eternal union. Lola went peacefully in her sleep while at Hospice at Evelyn House in St. Louis. Gene, who predeceased Lola on December 28, 2020, was reunited with his life partner of over 60 years. Known by their grandchildren as “Mema and O’Dad”, they will be dearly missed by their children and grandchildren, Kurt & Peggy (Dani, Tamaryn) Karl & Teryl (Calvin, Noah, Taylor) and Ketti & Michael North (Jaxon, Eli, Louie) They will be missed, by many nieces, nephews and friends whose lives were touched by their unconditional love and acceptance of all who they met.
The Hoefels were long time residents of McPherson. Do you have news to share?
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Original photograph caption
Robert Earl Bracey.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, April–May 2023.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Keith and my Simone printed wording retained. Keith Atkinson family first Black neighborhood residents claim is attributed personal statement, not independently verified chronology.
Original source: SD_Times2023_04.pdf, printed page(s) 3; PDF page(s) 3.
