David "Dave" Braun was born May 13, 1949, at the Mitchell County Hospital in Beloit, Kansas. His parents were Valentine Joseph "Joe" and Christine (Streit) Braun.
Dave died in his sleep at Parkview Nursing Home on May 14, 2023, at 10:35 P.M., one day after his 74th birthday.
Dave attended High Prairie School and later Tipton High School. He graduated from THS in 1967. He often told stories about his high school days and the orneriness he and his fellow classmates generated. His favorite teacher was Sister Mary Patrick, who was especially kind to him. But, according to Dave, the rest of the nuns were challenged by him and his fellow classmate's antics.
Tragedy struck Dave's family on March 11, 1963, when he came home from school and found his father had been killed while working under a house he had moved. Dave was close to his father and loved him dearly. He fondly remembered fishing the pasture ponds with him. Dave attributed his love of animals and wildlife to his dad. The loss had a long-term effect on him.
In December of 1968, Dave was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to Vietnam on June 15, 1969. He was a heavy equipment operator in the 84th Engineering Battalion. He returned from the war on July 12, 1970, with many troubled memories, yet he was very proud of his service. Dave rarely spoke of his service for many years, yet later in life would visit with other veterans as a means of healing.
After his military service, Dave traveled the country doing construction work with his friend, Joe Hollerich.
In 1979 he met and married Debbie Tess. They lived and worked in Tipton until moving to Denver, Colorado. The hardships of life, Vietnam, and his father's death eventually took their toll on their marriage, and they divorced in 2008. Dave returned to Tipton and continued his carpentry work. He never wavered in his love for Debbie and spoke of her often, all the way up until his death.
Dave was a stranger to no one, and his compassion for others was evident to anyone who knew him. He had many friends throughout the area and had a special bond with Dan Moritz, Fred Smith, Gary Krier, and Joe Hollerich. His acts of kindness were a part of his everyday life. He often took pieces of pie, cakes, and cookies to people he barely knew but somehow knew they needed a lift. His infectious smile and hearty laugh will be remembered by many.
Dave was a very spiritual person who sought out his Christianity in almost every church in Mitchell County. But it was his Catholic faith that sustained him up until the end. He looked forward to visits from the parish priests after he was confined to the nursing home following a stroke in 2019.
Dave was preceded in death by his mother, father, and brother, Bernard. He is survived by his sister, Janice Beilman of Kansas City; sister, Shirley (Dale) Thome of Wichita; brother, Duane (Anna) Braun of Oklahoma; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be at 10:30 AM Wednesday, May 24, at the St. Boniface Catholic Church in Tipton followed by burial services with military honors in St. Boniface Cemetery. A rosary service will be at 10 AM Wednesday before the service.
Cremation has taken place. Friends may sign the register book from 9 AM to 5 PM Tuesday, May 23, at the Roberts Family Funeral Home.
Memorials may be given to the Tipton American Legion Post #278 or the Tipton Heritage Museum.
Roberts Family Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
Condolences may be left at www.robertsfamilyfs.com