Early childhood educator was Head Start pioneer, Governor’s Award recipient
March 15, 1928 — July 10, 2023
Christine “Cris” Branche, loving sister of three, mother of two, grandmother of five, and educator of countless, died July 10, 2023. She was 95.
Christine Pearl Fears was born in De Valls Bluff, Arkansas, to Sterling Fears and Corene [“Kitty”] Yancy Fears. The family moved to Cleveland in 1934, settling in Mt. Pleasant and enrolling the six-year-old Cris in the public schools. Graduating from John Adams HS in 1946, Cris was first in her immediate family to attend college, earning a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education followed by master’s degrees in education and administration from Flora Stone Mather College at Case Western Reserve University.
Cris met Walter Branche during her senior year of college at an Alpha Kappa Alpha party and married him a year later at Harkness Chapel in 1951. Their marriage lasted 45 years until his death in 1996. Their shared passions included teaching, classical music, and growing a spectacular garden. Their two sons, Walter “Chip” and Christopher helped fill the Branche home with laughter and mischief.
A natural leader, Cris dedicated her life to public service, beginning with a stint as the first female student body president at her high school, and possibly the first black as well. She liked to say, “You make change from the inside as well as the outside.”
She was a public school kindergarten teacher for many years until she was tapped to serve as the Director of Early Education for Cleveland Public Schools, where she launched the city’s Head Start program to national acclaim. She received a Governor's Award in 1971 in recognition of her pioneer advocacy and leadership in early childhood education.
Cris gave of her time and talent to any number of organizations from the Christian Children’s Fund and the Alzheimer’s Association to Trinity Cathedral and the Ludlow Community Association. She was known for being indefatigable, whether serving as a leader or volunteer. Cris was a Platinum and Alumnae member of The Links, Incorporated and a devoted soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
At home, Cris loved reading, entertaining, shopping for bold jewelry, making Christmas cookies, and guiding her children and grandchildren in creative activities — once a teacher, always a teacher. She was known for her sharp wit, can-do attitude, colorful fashion, boundless energy, deep curiosity, and unmatched generosity of spirit, as well as for befriending nearly everyone she met.
Among her favorite “Cris-isms” — as the family dubbed her 0ft-repeated adages — was “Blessed are the flexible, as they will not be bent out of shape.”
Cris was predeceased by her brothers Stanley and Aaron. She is survived by her sons Chip (JoAnn) and Chris (Karol), a sister Pepper Taylor, nephews Hilary Taylor and Jeremy Taylor, four grandchildren, Afton Wilson, Christopher Branche, Kaya Branche and Corynn Branche, all of California, and a great-granddaughter, Amara Wilson.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to ChildFund International (formerly the Christian Children’s Fund) or the Cleveland Area Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association in memory of Christine Fears Branche.
Memorial services will be held on August 26, 2023 at 2p at Trinity Cathedral, 2230 Euclid Ave, Cleveland OH [44115]. The service will be livestreamed here on the church's website and also on its Facebook page.
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Updated 23.0816 to add livestream information.
