Jacob Joseph Braig, 85
Major General (ret) Jacob J. Braig passed away in his hometown hospital of natural causes and at peace.
Jake was a high school track star, farm kid who worked on the railroad and in Van Aken’s clothing store. Son of Mary and Tony, he lived the good life in the 50s with all the Voermans relatives and lots of friends.
After high school he spent one year at Bozeman, then regained his senses and started the Braig UM Griz legacy. He was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. A history and political science major he sharpened his vast intellect and honed his skill set to become a 747 captain and two-star General Commander of the Washington Air National Guard.
No wife and children of his own, his survivors include younger brother Bob and wife Beverly and their four children and grandchildren, Rob (Samantha) Toni, Amy, Erica; Mary Courtenay (Dennis); Kiersten (Jack), JJ, Emalee and Austin; Brandee, Zack and Addison,
In the 28 years after his stroke he had many caregivers and attentive good friends and cousins. After moving to Kalispell, old high school girlfriends and buddies made regular outings with him and the caregivers took up the task of carrying out activities Bev and Bob created. Larry Sanders took him to lunch every Wednesday and filled the “guy stuff” gap because he had mostly female caregivers. The Sigma Nu brothers took him to their lunches; he read to first graders at St Matthews school, exercised with trainers at The Summit and attended family gatherings. While he had limited eye sight and no short term memory, his daily life was full until he aged and failed.
With grateful hearts we, his family, thank you all for being a part of his village. A true general to the end, he thought his room at the hospital was special because “rank has privilege” and so he died as he lived: in charge ...
Memorials may go to WHS Booster Fund (Jake Braig Memorial), 346 Central Ave., Whitefish, Montana 59937.
A funeral service will be held at Darlington Darlington Funeral Home, Sat. June 3, 10 a.m. A viewing will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. Burial will follow at Glacier Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
