Lydia "Lee" Braun

Lydia "Lee" Schauer Braun, 92, died June 30, 2014, in her home in Dawson, North Dakota. Funeral services will be held on Monday, July 7, at 10:00 a.m.at Dawson Lutheran Church with Rev. Jacob DeBoer officiating. Burial will be held at 1:00 PM at St. Mary's Cemetery in Bismarck. Visitation will be Sunday, July 6, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Eastgate Steele Memorial Chapel in Steele. Lee was born March 28, 1922, in a two-room sod house 14 miles south of Dawson to Caroline Ketterling and Emmanuel Schauer. She was the eighth of twelve children. Her family moved to a larger farm in 1925, where Lee lived until she was seventeen. At that time she moved to Mandan to work as a waitress at the Lewis and Clark Dining Room and the Palace Cafe. Lee met the love of her live, John Braun, at an F.D.R. Presidents Ball in 1940. When World War II was declared, John was sent to Yakima, Washington, and that is where they were married. As John was sent around the country for training, Lee moved to Olympia, Washington; and Marysville and Grass Valley, California. When John was deployed to Europe in 1944, Lee moved back to North Dakota with their year-old son, John Jack, to help at the family farm. After the war, the family moved to Mandan, where Rich and Mark were born. In 1951 they settled in Bismarck, where Mary was later born. John died in 1974 after a courageous battle with cancer. While living in Bismarck, Lee enjoyed spending each Monday evening at the KC Club playing bingo. Although she only attended a small country school through the eighth grade, everyone knew never to bet against Lee in a game of cards. She loved to play bridge, pinochle and gin. If her family needed help or compassion, Lee was the rock they turned to. In 1998, Lee moved to Dawson, away from city life and back to the area she loved so much. At any given time she would tell you how much she loved her little town, her little house and her little church. She is survived by her sons, John Susan of Acushnet, Massachusetts; Richard Margaret, Rochester, Minnesota; Mark Kathy, Bismarck; her daughter Mary Greg Valente of Waterbury, Connecticut; eight grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; three brothers, Vernon, Gilbert and Melvin; and one sister, Ruth.

Lydia "Lee" Braun

March 28, 1922 - June 30, 2014