Donald Braband

Donald Wayne Braband, age 85, of Balaton passed away Thursday, February 23, 2012 at Colonial Manor in Balaton. 

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 5 at Victory Christian Church in Balaton. 

Visitation is 4:00-7:00 p.m. Sunday, March 4 at the church, and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Monday.  Interment is in Lakeside Cemetery.  Stephens Funeral Service – Tracy Area Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Donald Wayne Braband was born May 18, 1926 in Le Mars, Iowa to August and Grace (DeBoer) Braband.  He attended country grade school and into his freshman year in Le Mars, and graduated from Balaton High School in 1943.  When he was a teenager, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.  Don was inducted into the Army in December 1943 and served state side.  He served in the US Infantry during WWII.  Don was honorably discharged in January 1946 and returned to farm the family farm in Rock Lake Township.  On August 18, 1950 he was united in marriage to Mable Johnson at the Balaton Presbyterian Church.  Don farmed until 1961.  He was employed by Moorman Mfg. Co. selling feed for 20 years, and then worked as a rural mail carrier for Balaton and Russell routes until he retired in 1990.  All through his career, Don enjoyed going to his sister’s orchard in Iowa returning with apples to sell.  He also brought melons from South Dakota to sell at farmer’s markets.  Don was a member of the Retired Rural Mail Carriers and Agape fellowship.  He loved sports especially baseball, softball, hunting, and fishing, and was a Twins and Vikings fan.  Don also enjoyed gardening and selling garden produce and apples at the farm and market.

Don is survived by his wife Mable of 61 years; children: Naomi (Thomas) Donnellan of Minnetonka, Timothy (Laynie) Braband of Litchfield, Miriam (Mark) Mattson of Vergas, and Lori (Alan) Peterson of Minneapolis; grandchildren: Todd (Amy) Mattson, Chad Mattson, Jolene Braband, Zach (Jenna) Braband, Peter Braband, Travis (Holly) Barband, Anne Peterson, Connor Peterson, and James Peterson; great grandchildren: Gavin Mattson, Mikayla Mattson, and McKenna Braband; sisters Sylvia Johnson and Lou (Robert) Galbraith, both of Balaton; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.  He is preceded in death by his parents August and Grace Braband, brothers Elmer, Maynard, and Wallace, and sisters Eva, Jennie, Lorna, Ruth, Edna, Edith, and Gladys.