With an immense sense of humanity and an even bigger sense of humor, the Village of Palmetto Bay’s first-ever retiree, Marti Brasovan, had a passion for travel, but mostly loved cooking and laughing with family and friends in her Kendall home — especially during the holidays.
Even in her last days, the dining room walls of her Devon Aire home remained adorned with lacey red hearts and shiny ornaments proclaiming “I love You” and “You’re Everything to Me & More,” dutifully left in place since Valentine’s Day.
And so with the love and support of dozens of family, friends, and neighbors, Marti peacefully passed away on July 21 at the age of 75.
Born July 18, 1944, as Martha Jane Weeks in Danvers, MA, she is predeceased by her husband, Louis Brasovan, and parents, Jun and Marie Weeks. Marti is survived by her sister and brother-in-law Wanda and Ray Thibeault of Palmetto, FL; niece Karen Sparks of Annapolis, MD; nephew Richard Day of Newmarket, NH; niece Jane Sheehan of Portsmouth, NHm and niece Gail Day of Hampton, NH.
Brasovan attended Waldoboro (Maine) Public Schools through her sophomore year and then graduated from Holton High School in Danvers, MA. She earned an associate of arts in 1964 from Westbrook Junior College in Portland, ME, and later went back to college to complete a bachelor degree in business administration in 1973 from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.
Her professional years saw Brasovan working as a legal secretary in Danvers before ultimately moving on to Uniroyal Tires in South Florida. She and her husband did a stint operating a gourmet food store in Kendall before she joined the Finance Department of the Village of Palmetto Bay in 2003. It was here she made some really great friends, and proudly became the municipality’s first-ever retiree in late 2011. For years, Brasovan also was a member of the Florida Speakers Association.
Upon retirement, she wasted no time pursuing her many life passions including becoming a Life Purpose Consultant, after completing her studies at The American Academy of Hand Analysis, advising people about business and relationship success.
Brasovan had a real knack for using these skills, sharing with people their “life lesson” and “life purpose.” She saw deeply into their goodness, assuring them they were on the right path — whether they knew it or not — or gently suggesting another direction, if appropriate
Brasovan loved to travel and experience new places. She moved 13 times and lived in six states, including New York City where she moved on her own at age 20 to work at The World’s Fair. Then on to Charlottesville, VA, and ultimately settling in South Florida in 1969 where she met and fell in love with her husband, Lou.
In recent years, her favorite places to visit included Los Angeles and Phoenix, where, between seminars to sharpen her skills as a hand analysis and life-purpose coach, she visited the surrounding coastal areas and desert towns.
During one side trip in 2010, Brasovan was drawn to Sedona, AZ, due to its worldwide reputation as a spiritual mecca — and then fearlessly jumped aboard a sight-seeing helicopter with no doors, just to get a closer look at the red-rock valleys and ancient Indian encampments.
She spent glorious days with her sister Wanda and brother-in-law Ray of Palmetto, FL, dashing between their respective homes on Florida’s west coast and Miami. They took full advantage of their wonderfully close and loving relationship with frequent visits to see Wanda’s children and grandchildren, and on daytrips to Shark Valley, ZooMiami, and Fairchild Tropical Gardens.
Even into their 70s and 80s, they played and laughed together like kids — Wanda always keeping a watchful eye on her little sister, right up to Brasovan’s last days — and always making the best of it.
Marti Brasovan lived and loved and led by example, and will be missed by all. A funeral ceremony will take place on Aug. 10 at Van Orsdel Funeral Chapel at 11220 N Kendall Dr, Miami, FL 33176.
