Don A. Braymer

Don A. Braymer, age 75 of Vicksburg, died at Rose Arbor Hospice on June 28, 2023. He was born July 12, 1947, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the son of Donald and Betty (Zausch) Braymer. Don was a 1965 graduate of Portage High School and received a bachelor’s degree in Math and Physics from the University of Michigan. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War in cryptology. Following his honorable discharge, he began working for IBM and later Ford Motor and Ford Aerospace in the computers and networking department. It was said that “Braymer could fix the unfixable”. While working at Ford Aerospace, Don met a coworker named Carol Mangel. They began dating and were married on April 17, 1991. After Ford Aerospace was purchased by Lockheed Martin, Don chose an early retirement and bought a 72’ wooden schooner. He became Captain Don and started charter tours and gave sailing lessons. Later he downsized to a 47’ sail boat he sailed from California to Florida through the Panama canal, making many adventurous memories along the way. Don was a dreamer and deep complex thinker. He enjoyed simple time with his family and chasing after his dreams. His family includes his wife, Carol Braymer; his children: Don Jeffery Braymer, Laura (Ben) Fellow, Katherine (Justin Britch) Braymer, Sarah (Tyler) Campbell, and David Braymer; his grandchildren: Brooke, Harper, Russell, Addie, Apollo and Finn; his sister, Kathleen (Charlie) MacDonald; his brother, William (Susan) Braymer; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, David Braymer.

The family will greet friends on Wednesday, July 5th, from 11:30 AM-12:30 PM at Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Portage Location, 411 East Centre Avenue, where his funeral service will be held at 12:30 PM. A graveside service with military honors will follow at Fort Custer National Cemetery. Donations in memory of Don may be made to Tunnel 2 Towers, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306. Please share memories of Don with his family at www.langelands.com

Sea-Fever

BY JOHN MASEFIELD

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;

And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.