Harvard-Gloria Ann (Baravella) Brackett, 78, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 23, 2013. She is survived by her husband Charles, her thirteen children: Cynthia Brackett Mahoney of Harvard MA; Kirsten Brackett Perry (Joseph Brideau), of Fitchburg, MA; Fr Christopher Brackett, LC, stationed in Cheshire, CT; Gregory Brackett (Tessa Lawrence) of Lincoln, MA; Br Peter Brackett, MICM, of Still River, MA; Daniel Brackett (Rachel Wilde) of Lunenburg, MA; Maria Brackett, consecrated member of Regnum Christi stationed in Monterrey Mexico; Martha Brackett (Marc Frushell) of Gardner, MA; Br Anthony Brackett, MICM, Still River, MA; Fr Matthew Brackett, LC, stationed in Rome, Italy; Miriam Brackett of Harvard MA; Joseph Brackett, of Leominster, MA; Grace Brackett (Fernando Gallegos) of Chicago, IL; Elise Gedansky of Boston, a foster daughter, as well as 21 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her siblings, John & Anthony Baravella, Sr. Maria Cordata, MICM, and grandson Nicholas Perry.

Gloria was born in Boston to the late Primo & Eugenia (Valenti) Baravella. She attended Catherine Laboure School of nursing at the Carney Hospital in Boston, receiving her RN. She then attended Boston College and received her Bachelors’ of Science in Nursing. She worked as a community health nurse in South Boston, at a Polio Hospital in Dorchester and as a nurse for kidney transplant patients at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital.

Gloria married Charles Frederick Brackett September 28, 1957. She died 5 days before their 56th wedding anniversary.

She led an active life driven by the need to keep track of thirteen children of all shapes and sizes. In spare moments she would find time to reach out to others, offer help and spread her enthusiasm for living to the full - the beauty of her Catholic Faith. She added to an already busy life a constant flow of faith-based activities, from being a forming leader in the La Leche League of Boston and working with her husband Charlie on various Pre Cana teams throughout the Archdiocese of Boston, specializing in Catholic principles of family life. To add some spice to her life she would try catching all the garage sales in the area and taking in all the stray and farm animals they could handle. She had a special knack for collecting antiques and other rare items, with a keen eye for a good deal. An open house for visitation will be held from 3-8 pm on Thursday, September 26th and Friday September 27th at the Brackett home, 17 Bowers Rd, Harvard, Mass. A Requiem Mass will be celebrated in the extraordinary rite at 9AM on Saturday, September, 28, 2013 in St John the Evangelist Church, 80 Union St., Clinton. Burial will follow at Bellevue Cemetery in Harvard Mass. Refreshments will be served at the Brackett home following the burial. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St Benedict Center, P.O. Box 1000, Still River, MA 01467 or to the Legionaries of Christ, 475 Oak Avenue, Cheshire, CT 06410. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of Philbin-Comeau Funeral Home, 176 Water St., Clinton. www.philbincomeaufh.com