Sharon “Shari” Grace Brayer, 63, passed away Sunday, May 24, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family at her home in Franklin, Tennessee. Shari was born on September 7, 1962, in Youngstown, Ohio, to Anthony and Ann Orsinelli.
Shari was raised in Boardman and attended college in Bowling Green. On September 3, 1988, she began the next chapter of her life by marrying Raymond Brayer in Boardman, before moving to Rochester Hills, Michigan. Shortly after the birth of their first daughter, they settled down in Franklin, Tennessee, where the family grew with the birth of their son and second daughter.
She began her career as a Kindergarten teacher at Oakview Elementary, which she held for 7 years, and gained lifelong friendships from. In 2015, Shari took her passion for teaching and co-founded Spring Hill Day School. She would spend her remaining years as Director, continuing the pattern of nurture and care in her own vision.
Outside of her career, Shari’s favorite pastimes were cooking, hosting, loudly cheering for Ohio State, Bunco nights with friends, shopping with her sisters, taking trips to her beach condo in Florida, and spoiling her three grandsons.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Anthony and Ann Orsinelli. She is survived by her devoted husband of almost 38 years, Raymond M. Brayer; children Anthony and Sydney Brayer of Nashville, TN, Alyssa and Tyler Matheny (with grandsons Jackson, Noah, and Grant) of Franklin, TN, and Amber and Logan Hillen of Chattanooga, TN; and sister, Debra Goske, of Boardman, OH.
Visitation will be Saturday, May 30th, 2026 at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. The Celebration of Life service will immediately follow.
Memorials may be made to The Heimerdinger Foundation, www.hfmeals.org or to the American Red Cross, www.redcross.org
