Serapia B. Ramirez

Serapia Valentina Bravo Ramirez, 94, of Gibbon, passed away peacefully on August 14, 2023 at Mount Carmel Home in Kearney with loved ones by her side. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m., Monday, August 21, 2023 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Shelton with Father Joshua Brown officiating. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Gibbon. Visitation will be at 4:00 p.m., Sunday, August 20th at the church with a Christian Wake service following at 6:00 p.m. Memorials are suggested to Mount Carmel or Tabitha Hospice. Serapia, commonly referred to as Aupie, Sara or Tia was born on November 14, 1928 in her family home in Hutchinson, Kansas to Abraham and Augustina Bravo. She and her family moved to the Lyman, Nebraska area in the 1930's where she attended school. She married Michael Hernandez of Torrington, Wyoming in 1942 and from this union gave birth to a daughter, Rita Marie, on July 7, 1955. Rita passed away the day of her birth. Aupie re-married in December 1961 to Reyes "Rey" Ramirez in Torrington. In 1963 Aupie moved to Shelton with her husband and then to Gibbon in 1972 where she lived until her death. In September 1974, Rey tragically died in a car accident east of Kearney. Later in her life she developed a companionship with Felipe Barrientos. Felipe passed away in 2014. In 1972, Aupie started working at the Gibbon Good Samaritan Center where she later became a CNA until her retirement in 2005. In 1995, Aupie was nominated by local physicians and received the Freedom Award for her involvement in translating for the Spanish speaking residents in the community at their physician appointments. In 2000 Aupie received the NHCA Direct Care Staff Award at the Center. She was described then as a person "driven in her service to the elderly…an example of the self-giving model of a direct care giver". Aupie's dedication of service to the residents to the Gibbon Good Samaritan Center garnered her The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society's 2005 Certified Nursing Assistant (C.N.A.) of the Year. The administrator at the time stated, "I have never witnessed someone who exudes love for human nature so simply and sincerely". After retirement, she continued her servitude to others by helping them with transportation or other support of their needs. Despite having a large and caring family in western Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota and New Mexico, she became an adopted Grandmother, Aunt and friend to many residents in Gibbon. Manuel "Meme" Avina and his sisters, Brenda, Yocelin and Marlene have stated "People that you grow to love become family. As kids we quickly realized that Aupie would always be our family. You surrounded us with love and endearment always. The time and memories we had with Aupie will always be worshipped. Though your time with us has ended, in our hearts you'll always be ". Aupie is survived by her brother Celso (Chuck) Bravo and his wife, Carol of Martin, South Dakota and half-sister Deloris (Lola) Hachenberger and her husband Dean of Hutchinson, Kansas. Numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, great great nieces and nephews and sister-in-law's Lucy (David) Flores of Lincoln and Jenny Bravo of Scottsbluff. Aupie will be greatly missed by all her family and friends to include her pet Chihuahua, Gracie. She meant so much to all her family. She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Rita (Marcos) Martinez, Josie Escamilla, Augustina (Juan) Moreno. Brothers Bernard (Candy) Bravo, Raymond (Carol) Bravo and John Bravo.

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Serapia B. Ramirez

November 14, 1928 - August 14, 2023