Howard P. Braun

Howard P. Braun died Jan. 15 in Spokane at the age of 95. Howard was born to Henry P. and Katherine E. (Schoessler) Braun on March 24, 1918, in Ritzville. He was the last survivor of 11 children.

He attended the Willis Country School in Ritzville and then graduated from Ritzville High School in 1935. He went to Oakland, Calif., in the fall of 1935 to attend Polytechnic College of Engineering, where he graduated with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1938. Howard went to work for PG&E as an engineer in December of 1938. He joined the Navy as an Ensign in September 1942 and served in the South Pacific until September 1946, achieving the rank of Lieutenant J.G.

He then returned to San Francisco; once again to work for PG&E, where he retired as Vice President of Electrical Operations in 1983.

Howard was a Registered Professional Electrical Engineer in the state of California, as well as a member of the following organizations: Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, Electric Club of San Francisco, Engineers Club of San Francisco, Masonic Lodge and Peach Tree Golf and Country Club.

Upon retirement, Howard moved to Deer Park, where he purchased a small ranch and stayed until 2012. He then moved to Royal Plaza in Spokane; remaining there until his death. Howard never married, nor had children.

He is survived by many nieces and nephews, which include: Frances (Schafer) Price; Eleanor (Braun) Walter; Barbara (Braun) Hopkins; Katherine (Braun) Koch; Sandra (Miller) Haemmelmann; Gerald Braun and David Braun.

Visitation will be Saturday, Jan. 25, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. and followed by a funeral service at 1 p.m. both at Danekas Funeral Home in Ritzville. Burial will be at Ritzville Memorial Cemetery.