Donald Braun

Donald Braun, 76, died unexpectedly after a brief illness on Monday, November 8, 2010, surrounded by his loving family at Sanford Hospital. Donald Edward Braun was born in Saginaw, Michigan on September 12, 1934. He was the youngest of 11 children of the Otto and Mary (Gretzinger) Braun family, a strong German, Christian family. He grew up in Auburn, Michigan and graduated from Handy High School in 1953. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served from 1954 to 1957 and was stationed in Germany and Ft. Carson, Colorado. He married Vera DeNeui on August 31, 1957 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They moved back to Auburn, Michigan where they worked and lived for 36 years. They had four daughters: Dawn, Cheryl, Tamara and Susan. Don worked as a car salesman at Garber Buick in Bay City, MI. He retired and moved to Sioux Falls, SD in 1993. He continued to work part-time driving cars for Pontiac and Ford. Don was a member of the First Baptist Church in Auburn, MI for 59 years and currently was a member of the First Baptist Church in Sioux Falls. Don had a strong and quiet faith; his life exemplified his beliefs and values. He belonged to the Bertus-Jurgens American Legion, Chancellor, SD. Don loved many things. He loved baseball and visited just about every stadium in the U.S. on his many baseball tours. He was a big Detroit and University of Michigan fan! One of his greatest loves was music; his home was always filled with song. He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Margaret; his brothers: Reinhold, Berthold, Gustave, Arthur, Adolph, two year old Arnhold and six month old Arnold. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Vera; his four daughters and their families: Dawn and Ron Combs of Highlands Ranch, CO and their children: Bailey and Gage; Cheryl and Glenn Buse of Lennox, SD and their children: Rachel (Cory) Flaskey and sons: Allen and Chase, Ashley and Travis; Tamara and Brad Johnson of Edina, MN and their children: Abigail and Nickolas; Susan and Ned Blankenship of Edina, MN and their children, Macklan and Jacob; two sisters: Elsie Jezowski of Midland, MI and Elaine (Roland) Johansson of Houston, TX; two step-grandchildren: Allen and Chase Flasky and many nieces and nephews. Memorial services will begin at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11 at First Baptist Church, Sioux Falls. Visitation with the family present will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Heritage Funeral Home, Sioux Falls. Private family committal at Chancellor Baptist Cmetery will precede the memorial service.

Donald Braun

September 12, 1934 - November 8, 2010

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