Paul M. Brammell

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Paul Brammell, 83, of Michigan City passed away on February 2, 2009, after a long illness.

Services will be held Thursday, Feb. 5 at 12:00 noon at Carlisle Funeral Home, with Rev. John D. Hall officiating. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until the service at the funeral home. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery, with full military rites by American Legion #451 Skwiat Post.

He was the descendant of pioneers who homesteaded along the Michigan Road in Clinton County in the 1830s, one of ten children born to Roy and June (Huffer) Brammell in 1925 in Frankfort.

A lifelong athlete, he excelled in sports at Frankfort High School before joining the Army to ship out for the European Theater of World War Two. He fought with the famed “Super Sixth” Armored Infantry Division, and was wounded, in the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he attended Indiana State University, majoring in education and distinguishing himself on the track team in the discus, shot put and javelin. While in Terre Haute, he met and married Norma Jo Howell, who herself was a star women’s basketball player, swimmer and high diver. Upon graduating he accepted a teaching position in northern Indiana and the young couple moved to La Porte County where he taught and coached at Hanna and Union Mills before joining the faculty of Valparaiso High School.

In 1964 he and Jo, along with their two children, Steve and Paula, moved from their farm in Clinton Township to Michigan City and he began teaching Vocational Arts at Elston High School. During the summer breaks he worked as a union carpenter on many regional projects, including the construction of the Indiana Toll Road. He was an avid outdoorsman, furniture maker, Civil War buff and amateur archeologist, participating in digs at various Native American sites around the Midwest. After his retirement from teaching he began volunteering at the Indiana National Lakeshore. He was a regular “old timer” at Chelberg Farm, cracking black walnuts, cooking maple sugar, and entertaining all ages with his hand crafted Appalachian dancing dolls.

He is survived by his two children, Steve Brammell of Beverly Shores and Paula Griffin Brammell of Michigan City, three sisters, Dorothy Hodgen and Janet Culross of Frankfort, and Betty Graham of Plainfield, as well as eight grandchildren – Moriah, Ava, Sam, Sarah, Nathan, Greta, Aaron and Isaac Griffin – and two great grandchildren – Jelani Griffin and Peyton Jackson.

Memorial contributions may be made to Save the Dunes Conservation Fund 444 Barker Road, Michigan City, IN 46360.