John Leon Brannick, 89, of Colby, met his personal Lord and Savior face
to face in the early morning hours of Friday, October 22, 2021. Though
facing numerous health challenges, he peacefully went to sleep and woke
in the Presence of God.
John was the second to last of 13 children born to Michael and Lizzie
(Wingfield) Brannick in Goodland, Kansas on November 30, 1931.
He spent his childhood years growing up in the Goodland area and in
Colorado Springs. He loved the mountains and open spaces. In his youth
he loved being a part of the church orchestra and playing the saxophone.
Music has always been a big part of his life.
John met his beloved Beverly Harper while working at the Duckwalls in
Colby. They were married May 12, 1950. Not long after their marriage,
they moved to California where John became a proud member of the United
States Marine Corps. Soon after arriving in the sunshine state, they
started a family and welcomed their daughter Susan and sons John,
Michael, and Steven.
Upon being honorably discharged from the Marines in 1954, he held a
variety of jobs in retail and agriculture. Their family returned to
Kansas in 1972.
No matter how anyone was acquainted with John, be at church, socially in
community, or just driving by and waving as he sat in the sunshine of
the front yard, he never knew a stranger or someone he wouldn’t sing to.
He especially loved singing hymns at the nursing homes.
He was an avid poet who was proudly published. He was known for his
poems about his Savior and the beauty of nature. He often wrote poems
for those he didn’t even know if they were experiencing grief or for
those celebrating life’s milestones.
His faith was the foundation of his life. Each year he would read the
Bible cover to cover anywhere between three and four times. Over the
course of his life, he completed God‘s word over 60+ times. Wearing out
Bibles as he sat at his desk each morning in the Holy Scriptures was his
daily act of service to his Savior and brought him tremendous pleasure.
He truly hid God’s word in his heart.
He was preceded in death by his wife Beverly, in 1979; his second wife
Norma (Gardner); his parents; brothers, sisters and his grandson Shathen
Sawyer.
He is survived by his daughter Susan (Larry) Hawkins, of Colby; sons,
John (Margarita) Brannick, of San Diego, CA, Michael (Tia) Brannick, of
Goodland and Steven (Rodena) Brannick, of McAlester, OK; grandchildren,
Michelle (Daniel) Morris, of Colby, Michael (Kelsey) Hawkins, of Colby,
Lexus (Russell) Mordecai, of McAlester, OK, Milan (Drew) Dautel, of
Goodland, Cienna (Parker) Wells, of St. Francis, and nine
great-grandchildren, Hadlie, Kash, Annie, Geoff, Harry, Ellie,
Brycelynn, Luka and Baby Wells due April 2022.
Services will be held at Celebration Community Church in Colby on
Friday, October 29, 2021, at 10:30 CDT. Military Graveside services will
be at the Goodland Cemetery at 1:00 pm MDT. For information or
condolences visit www.baalmannmortuary.com