1931
Gordon
2014
Gordon Braam
September 14, 1931 — June 16, 2014
BRAAM
There are successful men in the world who are flashy, loud; all that is important to them is fame and credit.
Not Gordon Braam.
By all measures, Gordon - who died of pancreatic cancer Monday, June 16, at age 82 in his Fairfield home - was a truly successful man, but he put the wants and needs of others long before his own. He did not brag, nor show off his many accomplishments. Instead, he happily - and quietly - did the things he felt needed doing in the world, while enjoying the simple pleasures of life, such as singing ... dinners and vacations with friends and family ... golfing and fishing ... and savoring a sweet and cold, cold, cold vanilla malt.
Here is what Gordon considered important - the things that made him successful:
* Teaching: Gordon taught 6th-grade for 24 years at Heritage Elementary in the Princeton School District, plus three at Runyan School and two at Lebanon Elementary, retiring in 1985. He not only taught math and English, but "the finer points of marbles"; his students, decades later, stay in touch, reflecting on how "the giant, gentle gentleman" positively and permanently influenced their lives, teaching them a mix of "discipline, humor, respect, and deep compassion," both with his lessons and in the way he lived his life.
* Singing: Music was Gordon's passion. Inspired by his opera-singing mother, he sang his entire life, beginning as a boy soprano in Amelia and ending as a bass in groups that sang around the city and the world. He was a noted visiting soloist at churches around Cincinnati. For almost 50 years, he was a singer and assistant director for The Village Voices. He sang with the Sharonville United Methodist choir for decades and also directed a number of years. Other singing groups include: Voices of Ascension, the Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra Chorale, Jubilant Singers, Amelia High Chorus, the Miami Men's Glee Club and Miami A Cappella.
* Service, Leadership, Honors: In high school, Gordon was star of the Amelia basketball team, and was named first-team center to the 1949 Cincinnati Post All-City team. He spent two years in the military, becoming an Army sergeant at Fort Leonard Wood. During his teaching years, Gordon and his wife, Ann, took over as treasurers of the Princeton Educators Credit Union, running it out of their home (until the 1974 tornadoes) and bringing it to financial stability and prosperity. Their success led them to be tapped as treasurers of the Princeton Band Boosters. Later, Gordon and Ann became long-time volunteers for Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. In 2000, they were named Clovernook Volunteers of the Year. Until a short time before he died, Gordon continued to drive Clovernook clients to doctor appointments and meetings around the city.
* Friends: When Gordon made a friend, it was for life. Amelia High School. The Army. Miami University. Delta Chi. Heritage Hill. The Village Voices. Golf. Stories abound about the good times he had with them, both at home and on vacation, as do the tales about how he went out of his way, often unasked, to help his friends in good times and bad.
* Family: Gordon died quietly early Monday morning exactly where he wanted to be ... in his home with loving family around him. He spent his life taking care of them - raising three boys and inspiring them to be just like he was. He was filled with help and advice, at all hours of the day or night. Gordon never asked for help in return; indeed, he died wanting only to not be a burden on his family.
Gordon Neil Braam was the only child of Cornelius "Neil" Braam and Anna Braam.
Survivors include his beloved wife of almost 54 years, Anna Mae "Ann" Braam (nee Schmidt), and their three sons, Mark (spouse Ana, and grandchildren Anna and Neil) of Fairfield, Lee (spouse Cheryl) of Mason, and Ken (spouse Jacque and grandchildren Jessica, Rachel and Jeff) of Fort Worth, Texas. Other survivors include his sister-in-law, Rose Craig and her family.
Visitation will be held 5:30-8:30 p.m. Friday at Vorhis & Ryan Funeral Home, 11365 Springfield Pike, Springdale. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Sharonville United Methodist Church, 3751 Creek Road, Sharonville. Internment follows at Spring Grove Cemetery, then a lunch reception back at SUMC.
Memorial contributions may be made to Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Fund Development Dept., 7000 Hamilton Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45231, and to Sharonville UMC Memorial Fund, 3751 Creek Road, Sharonville, OH 45241.
There are successful men in the world who are flashy, loud; all that is important to them is fame and credit.
Not Gordon Braam.
By all measures, Gordon - who died of pancreatic cancer Monday, June 16, at age 82 in his Fairfield home - was a truly successful man, but he put the wants and needs of others long before his own. He did not brag, nor show off his many accomplishments. Instead, he happily - and quietly - did the things he felt needed doing in the world, while enjoying the simple pleasures of life, such as singing ... dinners and vacations with friends and family ... golfing and fishing ... and savoring a sweet and cold, cold, cold vanilla malt.
Here is what Gordon considered important - the things that made him successful:
* Teaching: Gordon taught 6th-grade for 24 years at Heritage Elementary in the Princeton School District, plus three at Runyan School and two at Lebanon Elementary, retiring in 1985. He not only taught math and English, but "the finer points of marbles"; his students, decades later, stay in touch, reflecting on how "the giant, gentle gentleman" positively and permanently influenced their lives, teaching them a mix of "discipline, humor, respect, and deep compassion," both with his lessons and in the way he lived his life.
* Singing: Music was Gordon's passion. Inspired by his opera-singing mother, he sang his entire life, beginning as a boy soprano in Amelia and ending as a bass in groups that sang around the city and the world. He was a noted visiting soloist at churches around Cincinnati. For almost 50 years, he was a singer and assistant director for The Village Voices. He sang with the Sharonville United Methodist choir for decades and also directed a number of years. Other singing groups include: Voices of Ascension, the Hamilton-Fairfield Symphony Orchestra Chorale, Jubilant Singers, Amelia High Chorus, the Miami Men's Glee Club and Miami A Cappella.
* Service, Leadership, Honors: In high school, Gordon was star of the Amelia basketball team, and was named first-team center to the 1949 Cincinnati Post All-City team. He spent two years in the military, becoming an Army sergeant at Fort Leonard Wood. During his teaching years, Gordon and his wife, Ann, took over as treasurers of the Princeton Educators Credit Union, running it out of their home (until the 1974 tornadoes) and bringing it to financial stability and prosperity. Their success led them to be tapped as treasurers of the Princeton Band Boosters. Later, Gordon and Ann became long-time volunteers for Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. In 2000, they were named Clovernook Volunteers of the Year. Until a short time before he died, Gordon continued to drive Clovernook clients to doctor appointments and meetings around the city.
* Friends: When Gordon made a friend, it was for life. Amelia High School. The Army. Miami University. Delta Chi. Heritage Hill. The Village Voices. Golf. Stories abound about the good times he had with them, both at home and on vacation, as do the tales about how he went out of his way, often unasked, to help his friends in good times and bad.
* Family: Gordon died quietly early Monday morning exactly where he wanted to be ... in his home with loving family around him. He spent his life taking care of them - raising three boys and inspiring them to be just like he was. He was filled with help and advice, at all hours of the day or night. Gordon never asked for help in return; indeed, he died wanting only to not be a burden on his family.
Gordon Neil Braam was the only child of Cornelius "Neil" Braam and Anna Braam.
Survivors include his beloved wife of almost 54 years, Anna Mae "Ann" Braam (nee Schmidt), and their three sons, Mark (spouse Ana, and grandchildren Anna and Neil) of Fairfield, Lee (spouse Cheryl) of Mason, and Ken (spouse Jacque and grandchildren Jessica, Rachel and Jeff) of Fort Worth, Texas. Other survivors include his sister-in-law, Rose Craig and her family.
Visitation will be held 5:30-8:30 p.m. Friday at Vorhis & Ryan Funeral Home, 11365 Springfield Pike, Springdale. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday at Sharonville United Methodist Church, 3751 Creek Road, Sharonville. Internment follows at Spring Grove Cemetery, then a lunch reception back at SUMC.
Memorial contributions may be made to Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Fund Development Dept., 7000 Hamilton Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45231, and to Sharonville UMC Memorial Fund, 3751 Creek Road, Sharonville, OH 45241.
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