Sylvia Ann Seiferth Brannen, of Statesboro, GA, passed away at East Georgia Regional Hospital on September 7, 2022 with her family at her side.
Sylvia was born in New Orleans, LA on February 18, 1939 to Bayne and Olga Seiferth. She attended Sacred Heart Academy and Sophie Newcomb College (Tulane) in New Orleans, where she met her future husband, Robert (Bob) Brannen. They married on December 21, 1959 and were blessed with four children.
Sylvia was preceded in death by her parents, (Bayne and Olga Seiferth ) and her sister Carmen Million. Sylvia is survived by her husband of 64 years, and her sister Olga Rome (Curtis); her children: Rob Brannen (Colleen), Fr. Brett Brannen, Sylvia Thomas and Jamie Brannen (Ashley); and ten grandchildren: Bronte Brannen, Elise Brannen, Bayne Brannen, Pierce Brannen; Mary Kate Ware (Jackson), Brett Thomas, Stone Thomas, Ashley Ann Howell (Luke); Lindsey Boyd (Walker); Alec Brannen.
Sylvia lived a life of deep and steadfast faith. As an active member of St. Matthew Catholic Church in Statesboro since 1962, she attended daily Mass and received Holy Communion. She served her church as a Eucharistic minister, a Sacristan, and a First Communion Sunday school teacher. Sylvia was also a member of the Parish prayer group and ACTS ministry. She received the Gartland Award --the highest award a Catholic layperson can receive in this diocese--for her faith, love and service to Jesus and the Church. Her devoted faith inspired her family to follow Jesus and her son to become a Catholic priest.
She extended her service to the greater Statesboro community, by co-founding and directing the Joseph’s Home for Boys in 1983 and by delivering food to the Statesboro Open Hearts homeless shelter every week among other activities. She received the Dean Day Smith Service Award for devotion to others in the community. While a busy mom of four, she earned her Masters in Counseling from GSU, worked as a counselor at Bulloch Academy for several years, and worked as a liaison for the Open Door Adoption Agency.
Sylvia was a devoted mother and grandmother, known to all as MeMe. Her family was her first love, and she loved hosting her family and many close friends at her Statesboro home and Tybee Beach condo. Her heart never left New Orleans, and she loved going “home” to NOLA and her extended NOLA family whenever she could. She even brought New Orleans to Statesboro with her cajun cooking and legendary Mardi Gras parties.
She loved football (especially the Ga. Southern Eagles and New Orleans Saints), Tybee Island and her dogs. She watched the Atlanta Braves nearly every day, and enjoyed ice cream or a snowball every night. Above all, her love of Jesus and her Catholic faith bring us comfort that she is waiting for us in Heaven.
Visitation will be at Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home in Statesboro on Friday, September 9th from 4:00-6:00 p.m. There will be a rosary at 6:00 p.m.
The funeral mass will be at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Statesboro on Saturday, September 10th at 10:00 a.m. with a private family burial to follow at Eastside Cemetery.
Friends may sign the online register book at www.joineranderson.com.
Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home & Crematory of Statesboro is in charge of the arrangements
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