Joseph Braverman

Joseph Braverman began his great race through life on April 13, 1949 in Chicago, IL. He crossed the finish line on October 12, 2019 in Bozeman MT, losing the final leg of the race to Alzheimer’s Disease.



His parents, Gertrude (Kopca) and Harold Braverman, raised him, along with his sisters Beverly and Denise, on the southwest side of Chicago. He was a bit of a free spirit, but always kind, loyal, and true to his family and friends.



His competitive spirit was likely initiated by challenges and contests with his many cousins at frequent family gatherings and the bantering and roughhousing with his band of neighborhood friends. Sports were a big presence in Joe’s life, further honing that competitive spirit. He and his young pals would ride city busses to go to Chicago White Sox games and they played golf at the local public course — sneaking onto the course at the third hole so they didn’t have to pay the fee. He played football for Bogan High School.



During college he met and married Janet Miller, then started his career as an electrician. Joe and Janet had two precious daughters, Erika and Melissa, but later divorced.



He started jogging for health in his late 20’s, which quickly turned into competitive marathon racing. He added competitive bicycle racing. Then he added competitive rowing. You see the pattern. In all these endeavors, he made up for any lack of technique and finesse with sheer will, strength, and spirit.



Joe met Lonna Schroeder while both were rowing with the Lincoln Park Boat Club in Chicago. They married in 1990, and in 1994 moved to Bozeman, MT. While the move meant Joe had to give up supervising large scale, high-rise electrical contracting projects, he turned his competitive focus to bird hunting, shooting sports, and training for and participating in field trials with his Labrador Retrievers. The ultimate competition with his friends, though, was how-many-decoys-and-other-hunting-accoutrements-can-you-acquire-before-your-wife-notices. Joe was always a top contender in that event.



Joe is survived by his wife Lonna; daughter Erika Braverman (Paul Jackson); daughter Melissa Braverman; grandchildren Sasha and Asa Braverman-Jackson; sister Beverly (Bill) Aylward; sister Denise Glynn; and one niece and three nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother-in-law Terry Glynn.



Joe’s family sincerely thanks all the caregivers, nurses, and staff at Spring Creek Inn Memory Care, Hospice of Bozeman Health, and Dr. Borgenicht and her staff for their compassionate and professional care of Joe during the last stages of his struggle with Alzheimer’s.



According to Joe’s wishes, a celebration of his life will be held later.



Memorials in Joe’s name may be made to Hospice of Bozeman Health (www.hospicebozeman.com/donate-hospice).