Frank W. Braley 1917-1991

BRALEY, MCCORMACK, GWIN, POOTS, ONTHANK, STAUBUS

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 9/1/2008 at 09:01:37

Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register

FRANK W. BRALEY

Frank W. Braley, 74, of 409 N. Tenth Ave., Oskaloosa, died of a heart attack Tuesday, Nov. 12, at Valley Lutheran Hospital in Mesa, Ariz.

Funeral services were conducted Saturday at the Smith Funeral Home, with the Rev. Brad Braley, pastor of the Central Presbyterian Church in Nevada, Iowa, officiating. Organist was Margaret Wheeler. Pallbearers were his grandchildren, Raoul Williams and Randy, Patricia, Michele, Michael and Matthew Braley.

Burial was in Pleasant Township Cemetery, Ewart. Memorials may be made to the Ewart Presbyterian Church or to Sunny Acres Program for underprivileged children and sent in care of the Smith Funeral Home.

The son of Clifford and Annette McCormack Braley, he was born March 16, 1917, in Ewart. He attended rural school and graduated from Grinnell High School in 1934.

He was married to Harriet Gwin July 4, 1936, in Missouri. The couple farmed near Ewart until 1954. From 1954 to 1960 he lived in Pocahontas and worked as a field representative for Farm Bureau. He moved to Oskaloosa in 1960 and worked for Farmers Hybrid Co. until retiring in 1979.

His wife died in 1977, and he moved to Grinnell. He was married to Vivian Poots Onthank June 10, 1979, in Grinnell. The couple lived here until 1987, then moved to Oskaloosa.

Mr. Braley was a member of the Oskaloosa Presbyterian Church, the Farm Bureau and the Masonic Lodge.

He is survived by his wife, Vivian; three sons, Ben of Labadie, Mo., Gary of New Brighton, Minn., and Richard of Kailu, Hawaii; one step-son, Halsey Onthank of Oskaloosa; 11 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; one sister, Mary Lou Staubus of Indianola; and two brothers, Berton of Silver Springs, Md., and Gordon of Montezuma. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Harriet, and one brother, Byard.