Garfield E. Branby

These are men who inspired me as a kid. Hardworking men of the earth and sea. None of them were perfect, but each lived life on his own terms. If I can only come close to living the lives they've led, I'll have been successful.

There'll be two dates on your tombstone/ And all your friends will read 'em/ But all that's gonna matter is that little dash between 'em...

~ Kevin Welch

My Uncle Booben died this spring. Being in a military family who moved all over the world, we didn't get to know our own family very well, but right after graduation from college I took a couple of weeks off and went to spend time with some cousins in MN. It was a short but memorable visit.

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The funeral services for Garfield Ernest Branby, 76, Frazee, MN will be Saturday, March 15, 2008, 11 a.m., at St. Paul's Lutheran Church-Evergreen, Frazee, MN, with Reverend Anthony Cloose officiating. Burial will be held at the Minnesota State Veteran's Cemetery in Little Falls, MN. Visitation is scheduled for Friday, March 14, 2008, from 4-8 p.m., at Furey Funeral Home in Frazee and also one hour prior to the service in the church. Garfield died Tuesday, March 11, 2008, at Triumph Hospital in Fargo, ND.

Garfield Ernest Branby was born February 6, 1932, in Glenwood, MN to Gerhard and Esther (Helland) Branby. He grew up in Glenwood, graduating from high school in 1950. While in Glenwood, Garfield worked for the fisheries hatchery. He entered the U.S. Air Force and served in the Korean War and Vietnam War, separating with an honorable discharge. On July 7, 1956, Garfield married Cydera Illg at St. Paul's Lutheran Church-Evergreen, Frazee, MN. They moved to Aurora, Colorado and later to Albert Lea, Minnesota where he sold real estate. They moved to Frazee, MN. He worked construction in the area as well as farmed.

He enjoyed horseshoes, bowling, golfing and watching sports in his leisure time. Garfield was a member of the Wolf Lake Horseshoe Club and VFW Post 8165 of Wolf Lake, MN.

Garfield is survived by his wife Cydera of Frazee, MN; three sons, Craig (Ann) Branby of Perham, MN, Jeff (Michele) Branby of New York Mills, MN and Dana Branby of Perham, MN; his daughter Kristy (Tom) Meyer of Fargo, ND; two brothers, Harlan (Lori) Branby of Lodi, CA and Donald Branby of Glenwood, MN; two sisters, Wanda Miller of Bloomington, MN and Betty Schaub of Albert Lea, MN; a sister-in-law Ruth Branby of Detroit Lakes, MN; and six grandchildren, Steven Branby, Katie and Amanda Branby, Eric, Ryan and Alec Meyer.

His parents and brother Manferd preceded him in death.