Ronald James Brainard

Ronald James Brainard, 83, passed away on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 at his home in Pocatello, Idaho surrounded by his family. Ronald (Ron) was born in Glendale, California on July 24, 1932 to Hubert Ellis and Mary Gertrude (Sandeffer) Brainard. He was the youngest of 6 children. The family moved to Monterey, California and from there to Salinas, California where he graduated from Salinas High School in 1949. He joined the Navy and was sent to Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA. After her graduation from Salinas High School, he married his high school sweetheart, Faith Marianne Walker. At Rons death they had been married 65 years. They had 4 children, James (Svetlana Kulya), Clifford (Mitzi Clark), Marianna (Mark Bruner) and Sondra. While in the Navy, Ron served in the Korean War aboard the Destroyer USS Hickox. After the war the Hickox was assigned to a yearlong Good Will tour around the world which gave him a deep appreciation of conditions in other cultures. He was then assigned to the USS Observation Island at Cape Canaveral in Florida. While on the Observation Island he was involved in the first trial launches of a missile being fired from a ship. From Florida, Ron was sent to San Diego to serve aboard the submarine USS Segundo in the Western Pacific Ocean. After 6 years of service in the Navy, Ron received an Honorable Discharge and he and his family moved to San Jose, California where he accepted a job with Lockheed Missile and Space Company as an Aerospace Test Engineer. During his 26 years with Lockheed, he was privileged to work on the Agena Space Program, varied satellite programs, and the Hubble Space Telescope. His specialty, as a Manager in the Space Program, was in the area of Telemetry (the science of Communications between the earth and the object in space). His work was highly classified and he only told his family that he worked on "black boxes". Upon retirement in 1996, he and Faith moved to the small town of Pine Grove in the Sierra Nevada Mountains South of Lake Tahoe. After 11 years in that beautiful spot, they followed their children to Pocatello, Idaho, so they could stay near to their children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren. Ron was a man of few words and you were wise to listen because he was able to share wisdom along with knowledge. He was a true Patriot love of country and the military were a deep part of his life. He was a walking encyclopedia when it came to the history of wars through the ages and of history in general. He was a kind and generous man, with high standards and firm convictions which he lived out with a wonderful dry humor. Even on his death bed he made his family, through their tears, chuckle, as he shared his humor. He brought light to his grieving family, taking care of them still. He was a remarkable Man. Ron was preceded in death by his father, Hubert; mother, "Gertie"; sisters, Betty, Bernie and Barbara; brother, Richard; son, Cliff and daughter, Sondra. He leaves behind his wife, Faith; son, James; daughter, Marianne and 19 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Private Services





Paris LDS Church

109 S. Main St.

Paris

Idaho

83261