John D. Braaksma Jr.

John "Butch" Braaksma Jr.:  July 9, 1945-April 28, 1995

John Dewey Braaksma Junior: My parents' solution for having a John Sr. and a John Jr. in the same household was to nickname my brother Butch. Both my father and brother carried my grandfather Dewey's name as a middle name. Butch was born July 9th and shares a birthday month with Mom, born July 12th.

Butch learning to walk at 11 months. Mom marked on the back of the photo that this was her favorite photo of Butch. She loved it because of the slight blur due to Butch taking his first steps. I loved this photo of me because I loved the smocking on the dress and because it was the closest I came to having blond hair.

It was great to be a boy in Wisconsin in those days because all one needed was good winter clothing, skates, a bike, cap guns, blue jeans, boots, and toy cars and trucks. I don't have a ton of memories growing up with my brothers, Butch and David. We didn't hang out together because I was a girl, older than my brothers and with different interest, none of which included being a cowboy.

Christmas in Badger, Wis.: Butch, proudly wearing his Christmas cap guns and holsters, me, Jeannette (sitting) and David with his Hopalong Cassidy doll

Butch and David were always having adventures. One day I was sworn to secrecy when they smuggled a raccoon into their bedroom and hid it in a dresser drawer with all the comforts a boy could provide a raccoon held hostage. It was all rather clever of them until they came home from school and the raccoon had escaped by clawing and gnawing its way to freedom through the back of the dresser and bedroom wall, never to be seen again.

Most of my memories of  Butch were on family vacations and riding in a car to go someplace. In those days, a road trip was monumental. It meant we had something important to do or someplace important to be, either shopping, a movie, family reunion, or vacation.

In his teen years, and fairly unannounced, Butch headed west to California and earned his keep at the billiards tables. He was good at anything he did and could easily make things happen. When he returned home, he learned the roofing trade, which became his lifelong occupation.

He married Theodore Langford, and they were blessed with four children, Lisa,  twin boys Johnny and Ronald, and Arthur Dustin.

Lisa Donnell Braaksma

Ronald Gene and Johnny Braaksma

Johnny, Ronnie and Dusty

About 45 years later and separated from his family, Butch found himself in a battle with cancer. He spent nearly 10 of those years in treatment at Galveston, Texas. When we (me, my husband and my brother David) saw him last he was unable to talk or eat solid food due to surgery resulting from esophageal cancer. His meals were in liquid form, poured into a tube with a flap that led to his stomach.
Unable to talk, Butch wrote notes back and forth to communicate. He wanted to see his children again and he wanted to know how they were doing, but with Mom gone and me busy raising my family, I had lost track of his children and could not locate them before his death. He wanted to be a part of their lives, but that wish was never realized.


He died months later with complications from lung cancer, April 28, 1995, at the University of Texas Medical Center.
Among the photos in his wallet was a picture of his daughter Lisa and his first grandchild, Brandon.
Were Butch here today, he would have celebrated the births of 11 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter and the marriage of a grandson.

Butch, the third of four generations of Braaksma's: Great-Grandpa Dewey Braaksma, Grandpa-John Braaksma, Butch-John Braaksma jr. - and his twin sons, Johnny and Ronnie

In Memory of Ronnie Braaksma, December 19, 1967 - January 31, 2014

Ronnie G. Braaksma, December 19, 1967 - January 31, 2014

It's hard to express a life in words, and that's where I find myself in telling you of the death of Ronnie Braaksma, who died January 31, 2014, Clay  Center, Ks. Sometimes it's what we leave behind that defines us and Ronnie left the legacy of five children, a granddaughter, and a community of friends and family.

Ronnie and children, Ronnie Jr., Heather, Alexis, and granddaughter, Annalynn at the 2013 Dewey-Minnie Braaksma Reunion

On February 8, 2014, Ronnie's employers, Vernon and Dawn McGee of McGee Roofing, held a memorial service at Neill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral Home, Clay Center, where friends could console the children and friends of Ronnie. People filled the pews and the room was packed with people standing everywhere.
The service began with a testimonial by Ronnie's twin brother, Johnny, who warmly described Ronnie; not only what everyone loved about him but also Ronnie's humanity that made him memorable. Heather read a eulogy written by Alexis. It was an emotional moment.
There were sniffles and smiles throughout the service as friends recalled the endearing and unforgettable moments they shared with Ronnie.There was no casket, rather mementos were placed on a table by friends and family that reminded them of Ronnie - Ronnie's trademark leather hat and photos were among the items that had personal significance. His boss, Vernon McGee, had placed a box of donuts and a can of Monster drink on the table because whenever Ronnie came to work in the morning, Vernon knew that he had to have donuts and Monster drink waiting for Ronnie before the day could officially begin.

Here's a link to a couple videos taken with my iPhone of Heather and Alexis and friends sharing their memories of Ronnie. The focus is bad as I was attempting to be unobtrusive in the time of grief. The videos will play on Quick Time. The video and sound quality aren't  great, so you will have to listen carefully and overlook the poor quality in order to see the magnitude of support given to Ronnie's family at his untimely death. 

A second memorial gathering was held at the Tiger Athletic Club, Aurora, Ill., by his siblings on April 4, 2014, in Aurora, Ill., Ronnie's birthplace and childhood home.