Van Ralph Braidwood

VAN R. BRAIDWOOD Van R. Braidwood, 82, of 652 Pawn Ave, Quincy, Illinois died Saturday, February 27, 2010 in Sebring, Florida. Mr. Braidwood was born April 23, 1927 in Yankton, South Dakota a son of Ralph and Elsie Braidwood. Van graduated from Yale High School in Yale, Michigan. He attended Graceland Jr. College (now Graceland University) in Lamoni, Iowa and graduated from Wayne University in Detroit, Michigan in 1951. Mr. Braidwood joined the Army in 1946 and spent a year in Nagasaki, Japan serving in Military Government. He traveled throughout the prefecture (State) as an inspector of Japanese Welfare and penal institutions. Mr. Braidwood married Florence Jean Jeske in Port Huron, Michigan in 1952. In addition to his wife, Mr. Braidwood is survived by two children, Terry D. Braidwood and his wife Tami of Springfield, Illinois and Connie J. Flesner and one grandchild Lana K. Flesner of Quincy, a sister, Gayle Bernard survives of Signal Mountain, Tennessee. Mr. Braidwood was preceded in death by his parents and a brother Ronald L. Braidwood of Zephyrhills, Florida. Mr. Braidwood was an Elder in the Quincy, Illinois Community of Christ Church (RLDS). Mr. Braidwood an Eagle Scout worked professionally for the Boy Scouts of America for over 40 years. He worked in five local councils including Port Huron, Pontiac and Jackson, Michigan. Prior to coming to Quincy, Illinois as Council Executive of the Saukee Area Council (now the Mississippi Valley Council) he was Assistant Scout Executive in Springfield, Illinois. In 1983 he joined the National BSA Staff serving in the East Central Region (Oak Brook, Illinois), the National Office in Irving, Texas and the South East Region in Kennesaw, Georgia. During that period he consulted with local councils in the development of finance programs including Endowment Development. He retired in 1992. During his time in Quincy as Council Executive, Camp Inc. (Quincy Noon Kiwanis Club) deeded the Saukenauk Scout Reservation property to the Council and the Camp Callahan Program at Saukenauk had its beginning. Mr. and Mrs. Braidwood have spent their winters in Sebring, Florida since 1992. They celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary in 2009. Private services will be held at the gravesite. Memorial contributions may be made to the Quincy Community of Christ Church, 3524 S. 36th Street, Quincy, Illinois 62305 or to the Mississippi Valley Council, Boy Scouts of America. The family is compiling a Remembrance Book of Letters. Those who would like to write of your association with Van, your letter would be included in the book for his children with our sincere appreciation. Send your letters to Florences Quincy address or you may e-mail them to t.braidwood@mchsi.com. Mr. Braidwoods arrangements were entrusted to the Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home in Sebring, Florid