Betty Jane Sousa Bracken, 92, of Nazareth, passed away peacefully Sunday, June 25, 2017 at Gracedale.  She was preceded in death by her husbands, Albert T. Sousa and Robert Bracken.

Born September 23, 1924, in Fountain Hill, she was a daughter of the late Frederick and Lillian Hearn Bowers.

Betty graduated from Nazareth High School, class of 1942.  During her high school days, she played basketball and although she was the smallest on the team, she was fast.  She was also proud of an award she earned for her skills in short hand.  Later in life, she was employed as a seamstress by various blouse mills in the area until her retirement at the age of 62.

Throughout her years, Betty remained active.  She loved bird watching, gardening, playing hand held games and putting puzzles together

She was a member of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Nazareth.

Betty is survived by her loving family, 2 daughters Hope Sousa Sprague and her husband Beau of St. Petersburg, FL and Bonnie S. Trumbauer and her husband Russell of Bath; 3 grandchildren, Anthony Trumbauer and his wife Chandel, Jilian Keller and her husband Clint and Kimberly Schumacher and her husband Edward; 4 great-grandchildren, twins Ava and Niko Keller, Roman Trumbauer, and Tyler Schumacher; many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by 6 sisters, Shirley, Marian, Ethel, Caroline, Hilda, Mildred and 3 brothers, Stanley, Kenneth and Earl.

Family and friends are invited to call from 10 to 11 am on Friday, at the Schmidt Funeral Home, 407 Belvidere St., Nazareth.  A funeral service will begin at 11 am in the funeral home with the Rev. David B. Schaeffer presiding.  Private burial will be held at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions, in Betty's name, may be offered to St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, 200 S. Broad St., Nazareth, PA 18064 or the American Heart Association/Lehigh Valley PA Division, PO Box 15120, Chicago, IL 60693.

Betty's daughters and family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to all the staff at Gracedale for taking such good care of their mother and grandmother