Capt. Ret.

Captain Claire Elizabeth Brou, USAF (Ret.), age 89, was born and raised in Ocean Springs, MS, the youngest of Bertridge and Edward C. Brou's children.
She graduated from Dominican Catholic High School in New Orleans, LA. in 1945 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy where she worked at the Veterans Administration in New Orleans. After concluding her enlistment in 1952, Claire spent time in New Orleans and Ocean Springs and in 1957, earned a Bachelor of Science in Speech from LSU specializing in audio and television. After graduating from LSU, she transferred to Washington, D.C. to attend Naval Officer Indoctrination School and began studying for a Master's degree in Communication from American University, matriculating in 1961.
As a naval officer, she was posted at Norfolk, VA; Keflavik, Iceland; and a Naval Command in Washington, D.C. During these assignments, she held several positions including: Communications Watch Officer, Aide and Staff Secretary to the Commandant, Head of Personnel Services, Officer in Charge of Armed Forces Radio and Television Station, Congressional Information Reporter in Navy Legislative Affairs, and Assistant Curator for the Naval Historical Foundation. In 1967, Lt. Brou completed an inter-service transfer to the U.S. Air Force to use her professional training and education for Air Force Public Affairs. Captain Brou worked in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs), Community Relations Directorate where she was in charge of assignments for the armed forces bands and troop participation in public events. In 1968, a diagnostic procedure at Walter Reed Army Hospital resulted in hemiplegic paralysis. At that point, Captain Brou was honorably discharged from the Air Force, but continued to live in the Washington, D.C. metro area. She ultimately relocated from McLean, VA back to her beloved Ocean Springs, MS to be with family. Always competitive, during retirement, she enjoyed participating in annual Paralympic-style competitions including those designed for wheelchair bound veterans at venues across the United States, winning dozens of gold, silver, and bronze medals and awards.
Claire was preceded in death by her mother, Bertridge Bellman Brou; father, Edward Crawford Brou; brother, Edward J. Brou, Sr.; sister, Margaret M. Brou; and brother, Philip E. Brou, Sr. She is survived by a large extended family including nieces and nephews: Edward J. Brou, Jr. (Joe); Caroline (Brou) Gautier; Valerie Brou; and Gregory Brou all of Ocean Springs; Julie (Brou) and JR Comer of Fleming Island, FL; Sandra and Col Philip Brou, Jr., US Army (Ret.) of Dallas, GA; Suzanne (Brou) and Dr. Joseph DiBartolo; Renée Brou; and Lacey Claire Fox of Stuart, FL.
Visitation will be held from 11 am-12 pm followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 12 pm at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Ocean Springs on Saturday, January 21, 2017. Interment, with full Military Honors, will be held at Evergreen Cemetery. A reception will be at the Knights of Columbus Hall immediately following the services.
In lieu of flowers, Claire requested donations to the Friends of the Jackson County Animal Shelter or the Humane Society of South MS.
The RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 13872 Lemoyne Blvd., Ocean Springs, is serving the family and online tributes may be offered at www.riemannfamily.com
The family would like to thank Irene Lehane, Ann Streiff, and the therapy staff at Kare In-Home for their loving care and support.