Mary Bracho

Mary Bracho, 76, of Green Bay, died July 21, 2022, of endometrial cancer. She was with her family in her last moments.

Mary was born in Minneapolis on July 15, 1946, to Donald and Mary Jane “Susie” (King) Frentz. She loved growing up in the city’s Kenwood neighborhood and riding her bike around Lake of the Isles. She studied journalism at the University of Minnesota. After college, she went with a friend to Mexico City, planning to stay a month or two. After meeting future husband Miguel Bracho, she lived there for almost three years, becoming fluent in Spanish.

After marrying in 1970, Mary and Miguel moved to Minnesota to raise their daughters, Kathryn and Cristina. She became a published romance novelist under the pen name Ana Seymour, and had 20 books published by Harlequin Historicals and Berkley Jove. She also did many types of business writing and had a Spanish-English translation business with Miguel. If there are errors in this obituary, it’s only because the world’s best proofreader is now gone.

Mary said she was very happy with the life she led, and only regretted not being able to see her grandkids grow up. Before she died, she said, “If I had a bucket list, there wouldn’t be anything on it.” She dearly loved her family and friends and always tried to make their lives better. We will miss her beyond measure.

Mary is survived by daughters Kathryn (Michael Bergman) Bracho, of Green Bay, and Cristina (Doug) James, of Folsom, CA; ex-husband and best friend, Miguel Bracho; grandchildren Declan Bergman, Taran Bergman, and Flora James; sister, Barbara Jackowell; brother, Don (Sophie) Frentz; and many friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, Don and Susie Frentz.

The family thanks Aurora At Home Hospice and Unity Hospice for their care and kindness. Mary did not wish to have a memorial service. Please no flowers, but if you’d like to honor her, please consider a donation to the American Journalism Project or the Cordova Recreation & Parks Foundation.