A liturgical wake service is 7 p.m. Sunday at Holy Cross, with visitation starting at 5 p.m. There is also visitation at Gramm Funeral Home, 720 N. Sixth St., Ipswich, from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Jack, better known as Speed most of his life, was born Aug. 17, 1922, to August and Regina (Fischer) Braun on the family farm east of Ipswich. Just like most men of that time, Speed served in the U.S. Army from 1944-46, serving in the Philippines.
Following his time in the service, Speed returned home to the family farm in Fountain Township. In addition to farming, he was a mechanic who was called upon by many in the area to overhaul their vehicles, trucks and tractors. He was also quite the inventor. In the 1950s, he built two rigs that were totally self-contained and could be pulled out into a field to fix or overhaul whatever needed repairing. He made small tractors, complete with a face on the front, that were enjoyed by all of his nieces and nephews when they visited him on the farm. If he couldn't find a tool to complete a job he was working on, he would make one.
Speed was always doing something with his hands - working on an engine, building something, or fixing items like mixers, vacuums, and radios that he had purchased at rummage sales that he in turn would give to anyone who needed it. Speed enjoyed coming to Aberdeen and visiting rummage sales. He also loved to have children visit his farm to ride his tractors and see his latest finds at rummage sales. Every kid should have had a Speed in their life.
He remained on the farm until he moved into Ipswich in October 2011. He entered the Golden Living Center in Ipswich in December 2011, where he resided until the time of his death, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013.
Speed is survived by five sisters: Kathryn "Ket" Markovetz, Ipswich; Dee (Mel) Hottman, of Cottage Grove, Minn.; Bernie Heinz, Ipswich; Lori Reinschmidt, Ipswich; and Jessie (Shorty) Lacher, Ipswich. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by two siblings in infancy; his parents; brothers: Joe Braun and Lenny Braun; and sisters: Barb Bain and Sister Mary Braun.
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