Alfred Wm. Braun

Date of Birth: 12/11/1916

Date of Death: 12/23/2009

Alfred W. "Bill” Braun, age 93

Collegeville, Minnesota.  Born December 11, 1916 - Died December 23, 2009
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10 a.m. Tuesday, December 29, 2009 at St. John the Baptist (Abbey) Catholic Church in Collegeville for Alfred William “Bill” Braun, age 93, who passed away peacefully December 23 at his home in Collegeville, surrounded by his loving family. Burial will take place in the parish cemetery with full military honors.
Relatives and friends may call from 5-8 p.m. on Monday, December 28 at the St. John the Baptist Parish Center in Collegeville. Parish prayers will be at 5 p.m.
Alfred William “Bill” Braun was born on Dec 11, 1916 in Cazenovia WI to Anthony Braun and Louise (Keller) Braun. He grew up on the family dairy farm and graduated from high school in 1934. Wanting to see the world, he joined the Navy on Dec 13, 1937 and sailed around South America aboard the USS San Francisco.
On the morning of Sunday, Dec 7, 1941, Bill was leaving church when the first wave of Japanese planes roared into Pearl Harbor. As he watched the surviving submarine fleet slip out of the harbor the following day, he resolved to join the “silent service.”
He met Helen Koelbl in 1944 at a military dance in Washington DC. They were married two years later in Cold Spring, MN on August 19, 1946. Bill remained in the Navy and completed 20 years of service, retiring in 1957 with decorations and citations including; WWII Victory, Philippine Liberation, American Defense with clasp, American Area, Asiatic Pacific with star and Submarine Combat with one silver and two bronze stars. During the course of his military career, Helen and Bill lived in Minnesota, California, and Hawaii.
While on retreat at St. John’s Abbey in 1959, Helen and Bill decided to settle in the Collegeville area. They built their home near the St. John’s campus and moved in on July 1, 1960. Bill began a second career as a field agent with the Knights of Columbus and retired in 1981. He was a devout Catholic, a committed member of St. John the Baptist parish and a lifelong member of the Republican Party.
Bill and Helen’s golden years were marked by rich friendships, prayer, community and travel. Their many trips abroad included stops in Israel, Egypt, Austria, and Hong Kong. They were constantly underway, visiting friends and children around the country and around the world. In their later years, the Brauns spent 13 winters at their home in Leisure World, Weslaco TX, where Bill was known for his conservative politics and liberal card playing. Summers were spent with family and old friends in Collegeville.
Bill is survived by; his wife Helen (Koelbl) Braun, his brother Bernie Braun and sister Marie (Braun) Steinhorst, both of Reedsburg WI, his children; David (and Susan of Healy Alaska) Paul Braun (Collegeville, MN) Mary Braun-Kapsner (and Tom Kapsner of Duluth, MN) Eugene Braun (Corvallis, OR) Gary Braun (Oak Island, NC) Mark Braun (Fort Wright, KY) Michael Braun (and Carlos Arana of New York, NY), his six grandchildren (Jake and McKenzie Kapsner, Marcel and Julia Braun, Henry and Cora Braun) and five great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents and siblings; Hubert, Genevieve, Eleanor, Edna, Evelyn, Raymond and Irene.