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Flu Blamed In Lansing Teacher's Death

1,230 views · Published 11 March 2008 · 2:33 · Indexed 21 October 2026

Channel: KMBC 9 · 2008 · News & Politics

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The flu is being blamed in the death of a Kansas teacher last week, making it possibly the second flu-related death in the area this winter.

KMBC's Micheal Mahoney reported that Shelly Brammer, 53, was a well-liked teacher at Sallie Zoll Elementary School in Lansing.

Her husband, Duane Brammer, said she died suddenly last week after a severe case of the flu.

"She basically caught the flu, and it kept getting worse. She passed away on Wednesday," Duane Brammer said.

Shelly Brammer had been hospitalized shortly before she died. Doctors said she had pneumonia, but her husband said it didn't start out that way.

"We just figured it was the flu bug that was going around, because I had it myself. But when she got so sick, one of the kids had to take her to the hospital because I was sick myself," Duane Brammer said.

He said doctors said that his wife's left lung was filled with fluid.

Doctors said that typically, the flu is a mortal threat to the very young and very old, rather than the middle-aged.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu season took off in late January. Kansas was reporting widespread cases of the flu in late January and Missouri had widespread cases by Feb. 9.

By late February, all but one state reported widespread flu activity. As of last week, the flu activity appeared to be waning.

Mahoney reported that finding the exact number of flu deaths each winter is hard. Health departments are required to report the deaths of children blamed on the flu, but the reporting requirements for adults are less precise.

No one from Sallie Zoll School was able to comment to KMBC Monday.

Duane Brammer said his wife's dedication to teaching was clear.

"She had three kids and was a single mom when she went back to school to fulfill her dream to be a school teacher. She was almost 40 years old when she got her teacher's degree," he said.

This is the second death of an area teacher linked to the flu. Stephanie Bentele, 46, was a fifth-grade teacher at Summit Pointe Elementary in Lee's Summit, Mo. She became ill in late February and died a few days later.

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