Lonnie Robert Branam, 79, of  367 Karen Road, Marquette, entered eternal life Wednesday morning, May 4, 2005, at his home, in the comforting care of his wife and family.  He has been in ill health.

Lonnie was born February 16, 1926 in Mancelona, a son of Otis and Rachel (VanBibber) Branam.  The family moved to the Carlshend area when Lonnie was very young.  It was there, that he was raised and, during his early years, would help his father working in the woods.  Lonnie entered the US Army during World War II, serving in China, Burma, and India.  Following his honorable discharge in 1946, he returned to Marquette where he married Eileen M. LaChappelle.  The couple began to establish their home and raise a family in Marquette.  Lonnie was employed in the construction industry and worked for a variety of firms, first at the Cliff’s Shaft Mine and later as a heavy equipment operator through Union Local #324.  His trade was in working with dynamite and he managed some of the blasting at the Empire and Tilden mines throughout the years.  He retired from A. Lindberg and Sons Construction in 1988 after many years of service.  Lonnie and Eileen were members of the former Marquette Moose Lodge and Richard Jopling Post #44 of the American Legion and its auxiliary.  Lonnie and Eileen were true soul mates and had been best friends since their marriage.  They were inseparable and shared the duties at home, from woodcutting to raising children, as a team.  A few paragraphs cannot sum up Lonnie’s life.  If you knew him, you were soon a friend.  Whether it was sharing memories or time with Lonnie and his family, reaping the harvest of their gardens, or making wine or jelly from his grapes, Lonnie loved sharing his outdoors and fruits of his many labors.  Lonnie’s grapevines were well over one hundred years old and many starts from those vines are growing in many parts of the country.  It was Eileen, with assistance from their children and spouses, who was Lonnie’s primary caregiver during his illness.

A loving husband, devoted father, proud grandparent, and brother, Lonnie is survived by his wife of 57 years, Eileen; four daughters, Sandra (Steven) Barrett of Gwinn, Susan (Robert) Zorza of Watson, Lois (Jasson) Williams and Diane (James) Mankee both of Marquette; one son, Fred (Connie) Branam of Marquette; his grandchildren, Sandy (Ken) Watson, Shelley (Ralph) Pizzi, Jennifer (Ed) Skach, Eric Williams, Jerry (Leah) Williams, Roberta Branam, Jeffrey (Lisa) Branam, Kevin Mankee, and Nicole Mankee; great-grandchildren, Steven, Kylee, Tori, Chandler, Christopher, Ryan, Justin, and Ashton; two sisters, Dolores Ring residing in Ohio, and Eleanor (Tony) LaChance of Little Lake; a brother, Charles Branam of Menominee; brothers-in-law, Leonard Jacobson of Little Lake; and Terrance “Gene” (Christine) LaChappelle of Big Bay; and several nieces and nephews.  In addition to his parents, Lonnie was preceded in death by a son, Robert Branam in 1976; granddaughter, Jacqueline Zorza; brother, Kenneth Branam; sisters, Bernice Peters and Marjorie Jacobson; and brother-in-law, Thane “Tappy” Peters.

Friends may call at the Fassbender Funeral Home on Friday, May 6, beginning at 4:00 pm.  Funeral services will follow at 7:00 pm Friday evening in the funeral home with Rev. Ben Paris officiating.  Burial will be made in the Northland Chapel Gardens.  Escorts will be grandsons, Jeffrey Branam, Eric and Jerry Williams, and Kevin Mankee.  Honorary escorts will be granddaughters, Shelley Pizzi, Sandy Watson, Jennifer Skach, Roberta Branam, and Nicole Mankee.

The family extends special appreciation to Shirley Jackson, Becky, Julieann, Kathryn, Mary Ellen, Kim, Carley, Kim, and Linda, the caregivers of Marquette Home Health and Hospice, and all who assisted the family and added to Lonnie’s quality of life during his illness.