Choteau -- Eugene James "Jim" Brandner, 81, of Choteau, died of natural causes, Friday, March 28, 2008, at the Teton Medical Center. Born March 28, 1927, he was the first of seven brothers and sisters and was fondly remembered and known by the nickname of "Popeye" in the communities of Fallon and Terry, where he was raised.
Memorial service is Saturday, April 5, at 11 a.m., at the Choteau Baptist Church. Cremation has taken place under the direction of Gorder Funeral Home of Choteau. Memorials are suggested to the Shriner's Hospital in Spokane, Wash., the Scottish Rite speech Clinic in Great Falls or the Choteau Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara (Bray), of 29 years; sons Jim (Denise) Brandner of Chehalis, Wash., Ron (Linda) Brandner of Connell, Wash., Dan (Peggy) Brandner of Great Falls, Paul (Sarah) Bray of Billings, John (Lacey) Bray of Kent, Wash. He is also survived by brother Ron (Ilene) Brandner of Klamath Falls, Ore.; sister Pat Beck of Grants Pass, Ore.; brother Richard (Hope) Brandner of Atlanta; sister Karen "Tootie" (Gary) Marks of Lewistown. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Irene and Emil Brandner of Fallon; and sisters, Nadine Waters of San Antonio, Texas, and Betty Turner of Minneapolis.
He enlisted in the Army in 1945 and spent 18 months deployed in Panama, where he reached the grade of Staff Sergeant before separating from the service in 1946. He married Alice Babcock of Miles City in 1947 and moved to Great Falls, where he worked for City Motors as a mechanic until 1951. Jim also worked for Rice Trucking in the '50s and early '60s. He then went to work for Kernaghans Tire Service Inc. until 1970.
Jim joined the Moose Lodge in 1949, worked his way all the way up through the ranks and served as state Governor for the Moose Lodge five times and earned the coveted Pilgrims Degree and was a lifetime member. Jim was very active in the Masonic Temple; Scottish Rite and Eastern Star and he was involved with the Baptist Church in Choteau and enjoyed weekly bible study groups, where he and Barb opened their doors of their home socializing with their Christian family members. Jim also worked as a salesman on the road in the '70s, working for American Life as a state representative; he sold Pyramid Health and Life insurance.
Jim married the love of his life, Barbara Bray, in Choteau in 1979, moving there, making Choteau his home. Jim started his own contracting business and worked in the community until retiring in 1992. After retiring in 1992, Jim enjoyed working for Ottis Bryant on his ranch and loved running farm equipment baling hay.
When asked what his greatest accomplishments were, Jim replied, "I think that my proudest accomplishments are all my kids, grandkids and great-grandkids." Dad, Grandpa, and loving husband, you will be greatly missed, but never forgotten by your loving wife, sons and family, and many, many friends.
Billings Gazette, 3/31/2008
Memorial service is Saturday, April 5, at 11 a.m., at the Choteau Baptist Church. Cremation has taken place under the direction of Gorder Funeral Home of Choteau. Memorials are suggested to the Shriner's Hospital in Spokane, Wash., the Scottish Rite speech Clinic in Great Falls or the Choteau Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara (Bray), of 29 years; sons Jim (Denise) Brandner of Chehalis, Wash., Ron (Linda) Brandner of Connell, Wash., Dan (Peggy) Brandner of Great Falls, Paul (Sarah) Bray of Billings, John (Lacey) Bray of Kent, Wash. He is also survived by brother Ron (Ilene) Brandner of Klamath Falls, Ore.; sister Pat Beck of Grants Pass, Ore.; brother Richard (Hope) Brandner of Atlanta; sister Karen "Tootie" (Gary) Marks of Lewistown. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Irene and Emil Brandner of Fallon; and sisters, Nadine Waters of San Antonio, Texas, and Betty Turner of Minneapolis.
He enlisted in the Army in 1945 and spent 18 months deployed in Panama, where he reached the grade of Staff Sergeant before separating from the service in 1946. He married Alice Babcock of Miles City in 1947 and moved to Great Falls, where he worked for City Motors as a mechanic until 1951. Jim also worked for Rice Trucking in the '50s and early '60s. He then went to work for Kernaghans Tire Service Inc. until 1970.
Jim joined the Moose Lodge in 1949, worked his way all the way up through the ranks and served as state Governor for the Moose Lodge five times and earned the coveted Pilgrims Degree and was a lifetime member. Jim was very active in the Masonic Temple; Scottish Rite and Eastern Star and he was involved with the Baptist Church in Choteau and enjoyed weekly bible study groups, where he and Barb opened their doors of their home socializing with their Christian family members. Jim also worked as a salesman on the road in the '70s, working for American Life as a state representative; he sold Pyramid Health and Life insurance.
Jim married the love of his life, Barbara Bray, in Choteau in 1979, moving there, making Choteau his home. Jim started his own contracting business and worked in the community until retiring in 1992. After retiring in 1992, Jim enjoyed working for Ottis Bryant on his ranch and loved running farm equipment baling hay.
When asked what his greatest accomplishments were, Jim replied, "I think that my proudest accomplishments are all my kids, grandkids and great-grandkids." Dad, Grandpa, and loving husband, you will be greatly missed, but never forgotten by your loving wife, sons and family, and many, many friends.
Billings Gazette, 3/31/2008
Choteau -- Eugene James "Jim" Brandner, 81, of Choteau, died of natural causes, Friday, March 28, 2008, at the Teton Medical Center. Born March 28, 1927, he was the first of seven brothers and sisters and was fondly remembered and known by the nickname of "Popeye" in the communities of Fallon and Terry, where he was raised.
Memorial service is Saturday, April 5, at 11 a.m., at the Choteau Baptist Church. Cremation has taken place under the direction of Gorder Funeral Home of Choteau. Memorials are suggested to the Shriner's Hospital in Spokane, Wash., the Scottish Rite speech Clinic in Great Falls or the Choteau Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara (Bray), of 29 years; sons Jim (Denise) Brandner of Chehalis, Wash., Ron (Linda) Brandner of Connell, Wash., Dan (Peggy) Brandner of Great Falls, Paul (Sarah) Bray of Billings, John (Lacey) Bray of Kent, Wash. He is also survived by brother Ron (Ilene) Brandner of Klamath Falls, Ore.; sister Pat Beck of Grants Pass, Ore.; brother Richard (Hope) Brandner of Atlanta; sister Karen "Tootie" (Gary) Marks of Lewistown. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Irene and Emil Brandner of Fallon; and sisters, Nadine Waters of San Antonio, Texas, and Betty Turner of Minneapolis.
He enlisted in the Army in 1945 and spent 18 months deployed in Panama, where he reached the grade of Staff Sergeant before separating from the service in 1946. He married Alice Babcock of Miles City in 1947 and moved to Great Falls, where he worked for City Motors as a mechanic until 1951. Jim also worked for Rice Trucking in the '50s and early '60s. He then went to work for Kernaghans Tire Service Inc. until 1970.
Jim joined the Moose Lodge in 1949, worked his way all the way up through the ranks and served as state Governor for the Moose Lodge five times and earned the coveted Pilgrims Degree and was a lifetime member. Jim was very active in the Masonic Temple; Scottish Rite and Eastern Star and he was involved with the Baptist Church in Choteau and enjoyed weekly bible study groups, where he and Barb opened their doors of their home socializing with their Christian family members. Jim also worked as a salesman on the road in the '70s, working for American Life as a state representative; he sold Pyramid Health and Life insurance.
Jim married the love of his life, Barbara Bray, in Choteau in 1979, moving there, making Choteau his home. Jim started his own contracting business and worked in the community until retiring in 1992. After retiring in 1992, Jim enjoyed working for Ottis Bryant on his ranch and loved running farm equipment baling hay.
When asked what his greatest accomplishments were, Jim replied, "I think that my proudest accomplishments are all my kids, grandkids and great-grandkids." Dad, Grandpa, and loving husband, you will be greatly missed, but never forgotten by your loving wife, sons and family, and many, many friends.
Billings Gazette, 3/31/2008
Memorial service is Saturday, April 5, at 11 a.m., at the Choteau Baptist Church. Cremation has taken place under the direction of Gorder Funeral Home of Choteau. Memorials are suggested to the Shriner's Hospital in Spokane, Wash., the Scottish Rite speech Clinic in Great Falls or the Choteau Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara (Bray), of 29 years; sons Jim (Denise) Brandner of Chehalis, Wash., Ron (Linda) Brandner of Connell, Wash., Dan (Peggy) Brandner of Great Falls, Paul (Sarah) Bray of Billings, John (Lacey) Bray of Kent, Wash. He is also survived by brother Ron (Ilene) Brandner of Klamath Falls, Ore.; sister Pat Beck of Grants Pass, Ore.; brother Richard (Hope) Brandner of Atlanta; sister Karen "Tootie" (Gary) Marks of Lewistown. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Irene and Emil Brandner of Fallon; and sisters, Nadine Waters of San Antonio, Texas, and Betty Turner of Minneapolis.
He enlisted in the Army in 1945 and spent 18 months deployed in Panama, where he reached the grade of Staff Sergeant before separating from the service in 1946. He married Alice Babcock of Miles City in 1947 and moved to Great Falls, where he worked for City Motors as a mechanic until 1951. Jim also worked for Rice Trucking in the '50s and early '60s. He then went to work for Kernaghans Tire Service Inc. until 1970.
Jim joined the Moose Lodge in 1949, worked his way all the way up through the ranks and served as state Governor for the Moose Lodge five times and earned the coveted Pilgrims Degree and was a lifetime member. Jim was very active in the Masonic Temple; Scottish Rite and Eastern Star and he was involved with the Baptist Church in Choteau and enjoyed weekly bible study groups, where he and Barb opened their doors of their home socializing with their Christian family members. Jim also worked as a salesman on the road in the '70s, working for American Life as a state representative; he sold Pyramid Health and Life insurance.
Jim married the love of his life, Barbara Bray, in Choteau in 1979, moving there, making Choteau his home. Jim started his own contracting business and worked in the community until retiring in 1992. After retiring in 1992, Jim enjoyed working for Ottis Bryant on his ranch and loved running farm equipment baling hay.
When asked what his greatest accomplishments were, Jim replied, "I think that my proudest accomplishments are all my kids, grandkids and great-grandkids." Dad, Grandpa, and loving husband, you will be greatly missed, but never forgotten by your loving wife, sons and family, and many, many friends.
Billings Gazette, 3/31/2008
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