Albert was born and raised in Norfolk, Nebraska, the third of four children of Dr. Siegfried and Pauline Brauer. Some of AJ’s special memories growing up in Nebraska were holidays with family, flying with his dad piloting his plane, and taking care of and riding horses on his dad’s ranch. After graduating from high school in Norfolk, AJ headed to the University of Nebraska for his first year of college.
The green of Oregon beckoned, and he continued his education at the University of Oregon in Eugene, where he received his B.A. in 1951. While at U of O, he met and dated Alice Maier, daughter of a local Lutheran pastor. After graduation, he began the rigorous years of medical school at University of Nebraska while Alice completed her junior year of college at Wayne State Teachers College. They married in Eugene June 15, 1952, and returned to Nebraska, where AJ resumed medical school and Alice taught 2nd grade.
Their first child, Albert (Pog) was born in 1954 when AJ was a junior in med school, and another 5 children tumbled out on almost an annual basis after that. Becky was born in 1955 during internship in Eugene and Gretchen was born in 1956 during residency in Martinez, CA. Following residency, AJ moved the family to Hawaii for almost 15 months while he did a stint in the Navy. He and Alice then decided to make their home in Florence, OR, moving there in 1958. Alice had three more children – James in 1958, Melissa in 1959, and John in 1961, all delivered by their dad, who was busy growing his new medical practice.
The next four decades were very full. AJ became actively involved in the community, serving on the Siuslaw School Board 1960-1966, and then on the Lane Community College Board (Charter Member, 1964-1976), where he was instrumental in creation of the LCC Branch in Florence.
In 1960, AJ and Alice bought a piece of run-down property on Woahink Lake (six miles south of Florence), cleaned it up, and supervised construction of their new home, which was completed in 1964. This has been the Brauer estate ever since - a beautiful place. The family raised Polled Herefords for years (which become the kids’ 4-H projects), and working on the property provided AJ with the opportunity to do physical labor (or at least supervise the physical labor of his kids, who certainly learned the value of hard work!). He seemed never more content than when riding his tractor or wielding a chain saw.
AJ and Alice, and and later AJ and Catherine, were generous hosts, frequently welcoming church members, family, and friends from around the world to enjoy the peace and beauty of their home. In the early years guests were often recruited to help the family mow and rake the 2-acre lawn or work with the cattle.
All six children attended and excelled in Siuslaw School District schools for 12-13 years (depending on whether kindergarten was an option or not).
AJ and Alice were heavily involved in church activities as well, first at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Reedsport, and then St. Paul Lutheran in Florence. At St. Paul’s, they led the effort to construct a new building in 1969-70, after which the church was re-named New Life Lutheran Church. AJ's life work was deeply rooted in his faith and his desire to live that faith out into the world.
In recognition of his community involvement, AJ was awarded the very first First Citizen of Florence in 1967. He didn’t stop there, though, and continued his active civic involvement in community philanthropy (Western Lane Community Foundation), healthcare (Western Lane Hospital and Peace Harbor Hospital Boards, including a pivotal role in facilitating a partnership with Peace Health to build the new hospital in Florence), Rotary Club (1962-2020), community banking (Oregon Pacific Banking Company-Oregon Pacific Bank board – founding board member), and more. He was a big thinker and always thought of ways to improve a situation or at least build a new building. Accolades and awards poured in over his decades of service to the community.
With a long-time interest in medical missions, AJ headed to Kenya for a 3-month mission in 1970, taking Pog along. Alice and Becky followed during the latter part of that trip. In 1972, he returned to Kenya, this time with Alice, Gretchen, and James. It was during that trip that the family was involved in a serious car accident that led to Alice’s sudden death on August 15th. AJ was seriously injured, and Gretchen and James escaped with minor injuries. After two initial surgeries and two weeks of recuperation in Kisumu, Kenya (during which time he lost 35 pounds), AJ and the kids flew home, where he was again hospitalized, this time for 6 weeks. In all, he endured 5 surgeries on his right lower leg, and finally, an amputation in September. A large memorial service for Alice was held at New Life Lutheran Church in mid-October when AJ was finally released from the hospital.
It was during the hospital stay in Kisumu that AJ met the wonderful Irish nurse, Sister Hyacinth. They corresponded through his long recuperation from his amputation, and decided that she should come to America for a visit early in 1973. She never left! AJ married the former Sister Hyacinth, now Catherine Miskella, on March 4, 1973, with the blessings of his children. Catherine, born in Ireland and educated as a nurse-midwife in England, had worked in Kenya for 10 years, delivering thousands of babies and providing administrative skills for the hospital there. Marrying an American doctor with six teenagers was a huge adjustment, but she managed to not only survive, but thrive on the challenge.
Since it had been awhile since he started something, AJ gathered some people together to form Oregon Pacific Banking Company in 1979, and served on the Board of Directors (often as Chairperson) for 35 years. OPBC has become an extremely successful bank with five locations in Western Oregon.
AJ is a proud long-time member of the Rotary Club, and helped lead the effort to create the Western Lane Community Foundation. He also developed a prime 69-lot subdivision in central Florence area during the 70’s, forming Summerset Estates.
AJ and Catherine continued to make medical missionary trips of varying lengths to Kenya in 1975, 1978, 1982, and 1988. When AJ retired from active medical practice in 1989, he and Catherine went to Kenya for a three-year mission at Mercy Hospital 1990-1993. They then made four more trips over the years, taking with them medical supplies and clothing. AJ writes, “We certainly enjoyed the challenges and blessings of working with and helping people who are struggling just to survive. Being able to spend a lot of time in a Third World country helps give a much different perspective on life and its meaning.”
The kids all grew up and left home, collecting fistfuls of professional degrees from various colleges and universities (about 45 years of higher education between them), marrying, starting their professional careers, and eventually producing the grandkids that AJ and Catherine both desired so much. AJ and Catherine remained busy and involved in the community and the church.
AJ, together with both Alice and Catherine, was
committed to philanthropy, generously supporting an extensive array of causes
both local (especially Peace Harbor Hospital and New Life Lutheran Church) and
in the wider world (especially World Vision, the American Bible Society, the
Christian Medical and Dental Association.)
AJ’s undergraduate years at the University of Oregon sparked an intense lifelong devotion to Duck athletics. Albert attended the Rose Bowl 3 times and wore his Duck hat wherever he traveled.
When not traveling or attending board meetings, AJ and Catherine spent a lot of time working on their property, enjoying tending both plants and animals and the color and life of God’s creation until Catherine’s sudden death in 2016, which devastated AJ. Now alone at home, he even more looked forward to the visits of his kids and grandkids, who eventually started bringing the great-grandchildren as well. Having the grandkids work with him on the property was always a source of pleasure for him. A highlight of his year was always the annual Brauer Family Gathering, usually in late December, when everyone would gather to enjoy each other's company, catch up, sing, and play together.
AJ suffered a severe health set-back in mid-2018, but fought his way back and continued to insist on living alone on the property - and driving, despite the pleading of his children to stop. His close relationship with Dianna Barry helped motivate him to keep on going in life as he coped with the challenges of gradual physical and cognitive decline.
After a series of falls in the late spring of 2020, AJ reluctantly consented (under significant duress) to leave his beloved home for a safer residence, and his kids set up a perfect apartment for him at Spruce Point Assisted Living in Florence. His final fall came on November 24th, which broke both his pelvis and his will to live. After a brief hospitalization and transfer yet again to rehab, isolated from his loved ones due to COVID restrictions, AJ declined precipitously and his children moved quickly to bring him back home on hospice care.
Once back home, AJ was able to relax and start letting go, resting in bed with a view of the lake. His children and grandchildren gathered over the next few weeks to assist with his care and say their goodbyes. In the early morning hours of December 17th, he died peacefully on the last day of his 91st year after an amazingly prolific life well-lived.
AJ is survived by his six children: Al (Kory), Becky (Rex), Gretchen (Dave), James (Jan), Melissa, and John (Suzanne). He also leaves behind grandchildren: Patrick (René), Aaron (Amber), Alayna, Matt (Amandine), Clare (Ryan), Andrew, Kelsey, Nate, Ali, Alison, and William, and his great grandchildren: Tate, Maeve, Evan, Cole, Leo, Drew, and a yet-to-be-born great-granddaughter. He is also survived by his brother, Siegfried (Zeke) Brauer, and sister, Virginia Raasch.
He was predeceased by brother, Richard (Dick) Brauer; his wives Alice and Catherine, and a much-loved daughter-in-law, Lenise.
