Emmeline Jeanne (Emmy) Brancato

Emmeline Jeanne (Emmy) Brancato, formerly of Newtown, died in a car accident on July 2. She was 21.

She was born on October 23, 1983, in Johnson City, N.Y. and raised in Andover, N.J., Newtown, and Warwick, R.I. She was the daughter of Shelley (Clark) Kappauf of Greensboro, N.C., and Mark Brancato of Warwick, R.I.

A 2002 graduate of Newtown High School, Emmy was entering her senior year at Drew University where she was majoring in anthropology with a concentration in environmental studies. She had just returned from a field study in Costa Rica on sustainable development.

She was a thoughtful, diligent, and goal-oriented woman who combined academic excellence with a passionate vision of a just and peaceful world. She also had a remarkable playfulness and a sense of humor that made her just plain fun to be around. She touched many lives and will be deeply missed.

She is survived by her parents Shelley and Charles Kappauf of Greensboro, and Mark Brancato and Anita Hovey of Warwick; her brothers and sisters Hannah Brancato of Newtown, Charles Kappauf and his wife Laetitia, of Dijon, France, Matthew Brancato of Philadelphia, Jamie and Joia Brancato of Warwick, and Catharine and Martin Kappauf of Greensboro. She is also survived by her grandparents Beverly and Martin Clark, and Jeanne Brancato; and by many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Family and friends are invited to celebrate Emmy’s life at a memorial service at 2 pm Friday, July 8, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 36 Main Street, Newtown, with interment following.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Emmeline Brancato’s Scholarship Fund, Drew University, Madison NJ 07940.

The Newtown Bee        July 8, 2005