Tod Arthur Broman (1954-2022)

BROMAN, ANDERSON

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 8/21/2022 at 08:03:47

Obituary for Tod Arthur Broman
Tod Arthur Broman, 67, of Stuart passed away August 14, 2022, at his home. Visitation for family and friends will be held 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. Monday, August 22, 2022, at the Johnson Family Funeral Home & Crematory – Stuart Chapel. A celebration of Life Service will be held 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, August 23rd at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waukee. A time of fellowship, sharing memories and luncheon will be held following the service at the church. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Tod Broman Memorial Fund, which will be distributed to Tod’s favorite organizations. Online condolences may be left at www.johnsonfamilyfuneralhome.com. A livestream of the service may be found at Facebook.com/johnsonfamilyfh/ and will go live at 9:45 AM.

Tod was born the fifth of eight children on December 13, 1954, at Fort Sill Army Base outside Lawton, Oklahoma to Dr. John A. Broman and Onnolee Beth (Anderson) Broman. Stationed as an Army doctor at Fort Sill at the time, his father “caught” Tod in delivery while his mother was transferring beds. Not long after, the family moved to Maquoketa, Iowa where Tod and his seven siblings spent most of their youth. There began Tod’s lifelong affinity for music and athletics. He sang in choir throughout grade school and in the First Lutheran Church’s choir. His younger days were filled with playing sports outdoors with friends and siblings, primarily playing wiffle ball and football in the side yard of their house on West Summit Street. In high school he played football, wrestled, ran track, and played baseball. While his wrestling defeats at the varsity level competing as an extremely light heavyweight underclassmen were memorable and entertaining, he qualified for the Iowa High School Wrestling State Tournament as a Senior.

Like his seven siblings, Tod attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and he majored in Biology. He continued to use his athletic and musical gifts at Luther by being on the wrestling team as a freshman and singing in various choirs all four years. His junior and senior years he was a member of the prestigious Nordic Choir, which toured the US and Norway, including a performance at The Kennedy Center. Tod decided to get into education and conducted his student-teaching his junior year. He graduated from Luther College in 1977 with a degree in Biology.

After a stint teaching and coaching in Danville, Iowa, Tod accepted the position as the biology teacher for the Stuart-Menlo High School (now West Central Valley) in Stuart, Iowa in 1981. Over his 30+ proud years at the school, he created long-lasting bonds with students, student-athletes, and peers. He was a very good teacher, finding novel ways to communicate often complex subject matters to a diversity of audiences. Teaching outside the classroom, he served various durations coaching golf, softball, and wrestling. He also worked on the other side of the out-of-bounds line, as a football official, wrestling official, and baseball umpire, being selected to umpire/officiate state playoffs and tournaments in all three sports. He received many accolades for his decades of contribution to wrestling and Iowa high school athletics and even a middle school athletic director of the year award while operating as the school district’s activities director for a short time following his retirement from teaching.

The local school district is the foundation of a small community, but Tod’s community involvement and support did not stop at the bell. He was a member of the Stuart Rescue Unit (EMS) providing decades of service. Despite the volunteer status, many nights and weekends were modified to account for him being on-call or cover for his friends on “the ambulance”. He was a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waukee, Iowa, co-founded the local T-Ball league, sang in various choirs, music ensembles, and special events, was a school bus driver and involved with the high school athletic boosters, and contributed a weekly article to the Stuart Herald called ‘A Referee’s View’. Working for decades behind the scenes, he was also a member of Stuart’s Planning and Zoning Committee.

While Tod followed his father’s footsteps of being deeply ingrained in his community, he ultimately did so to provide the best place possible for his family. He met Deanna Dee Dirks, also a teacher, in 1981 and knowing he could certainly do no better, they were married on June 25, 1983. The couple also found themselves tied to the school and community as at one point, Tod coached the wrestling team while Deanna coached the wrestling cheerleader squad. Professionally trained in telling minors what to do, they raised two boys, Derek (1985) and Douglas (1988). Tod loved his “Princess” and boys so very dearly and never withheld his feelings and emotions, regardless how much it embarrassed the boys. He took enormous pride in his family, especially when sharing in his passions such as sharing in music and the arts, golf, and cheering on Luther College, the Iowa Hawkeyes, the New York Yankees, and the Green Bay Packers. His family pride grew exponentially as he became a “Papoo” with the addition of Douglas and wife Victoria’s children Esther (11) and Briar (2) and Derek and wife Ashley’s children Hayden (3) and Hunter (1). His booming voice, loving personality, and impromptu singing of nursery rhymes made him a favorite of his grandchildren, even if it startled them on occasion.

Preceding Tod in death are his parents, Dr. John and Onnolee Broman.

To cherish his memory, Tod leaves behind his beloved wife of 39 years, Deanna Broman of Stuart; children Derek (Ashley) Broman of Salem, Oregon, Douglas (Victoria) Broman of Des Moines, Iowa; grandchildren Esther Broman, Hayden Broman, Briar Broman, and Hunter Broman; siblings Jack Broman, Beth (Larry Rice) Broman, Steve (Donnis) Broman, Barry (Paula) Broman, Ruth Broman, Faith (Sally Christensen) Broman, Hope (Dave Mulcahy) Broman; and sister-in-law Lorinda (Kenny) Gruhlke and brother-in-law Dennis (Susan) Dirks.

Online condolences may be left at www.johnsonfamilyfuneralhome.com. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, contributions may be made to the Tod Broman Memorial Fund and may sent in care of Johnson Family Funeral Home, PO Box 246, Stuart, Iowa, 50250 and/or sent to https://gofund.me/4171c1e6 to support organizations that were integral to his life, such as the Immanuel Lutheran Church, West Central Valley High School, Stuart Rescue Unit, and others.

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