Lorraine E. (May) Breazeale

Lorraine E. Breazeale (93) passed away on October 21, 2023 in Bluffton, SC.

She was born to Fred C. and Anna A. May on December 16, 1929 in River Rouge, Michigan.

On Memorial Day, 1948 she met her lifetime partner, Herschel Breazeale. She knew she would marry him before the end of their first date.

She was a pioneering “career woman” working in real estate while raising four boys. Later, she lent her bookkeeping talents to the family business.

During 73 years of marriage, she and Herschel lived in many different homes which she loved to furnish and decorate. She had a keen sense for design and fashion and eventually opened a gift boutique in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Her staff felt that she treated them with as much care and respect as she treated her best customers.

Lorraine encouraged the unique talents of each of her boys. Her typical advice was “If that’s what you want, go do it” or “Make it happen.” And somehow, she inspired all of her boys and grandson to love cooking the old family recipes.

Lorraine is survived by her three children, James, Thomas and Daniel as well as her grandchild, Tyler Breazeale. She was predeceased by her husband, Herschel Breazeale and their son Dr. David Breazeale.

Lorraine has been a devout member of the New Apostolic Church her entire life.  She was the pianist for her congregation for more than 60 years, playing the hymns she heard growing up, sometimes three services per week. Still pioneering at the age of 93 she learned how to watch her church services via the Internet.

We are honoring her wish to be cremated and interred beside her husband at White Chapel Memorial Cemetery in Troy, Michigan.

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