Steven Anthony Braman

Steven Anthony Braman, 56, Tracy, California, passed away Sunday, April 7, 2024, at the Johannesburg Surgical Hospital in South Africa while on a business trip. 

He was born May 31, 1967, to B. Eric Braman and Maridel Braman of Linn, Missouri.

Steven graduated from high school in Ashland, Kansas with the class of 1985.  He attended DeVry Technological College in Texas and transferred to DeVry University in Kansas City where he studied Electronic Engineering receiving a bachelor’s degree in 1988. He studied Adult Education and Training at University of Phoenix receiving a master’s degree in 2009.  He was a Master Trainer at Carl Zeiss MedTech 1993 - April 2024.

He was survived by his parents Eric and Maridel Braman; two brothers Gary Braman and wife Karen of Camdenton, Missouri. and Rodney Braman and wife Amanda of Jefferson City, Missouri and two Sisters Erika and husband Charles Sellers of Grimes, Iowa and Loretta Howell of Linn, Missouri; 6 nieces, 2 nephews, one great niece, and a great niece on the way. 

During his childhood, Steven enjoyed many things. He loved doing puzzles, playing number games, riding his bicycle, running, and collecting stamps and coins. He loved his dog, Patty; she was a Chihuahua. He was an avid reader. He would bring home a wagon full of books from the library and read them to his younger siblings and cousins. As a Boy Scout he collected many patches as he fulfilled his challenges. When he reached the level to become an Eagle Scout he chose to organize the moving of books from the old library to the new library in Ashland, Kansas.

As an adult, Steven continued visiting libraries in the towns where he lived. His usual Saturday routine was to visit the Tracy, California library. He served as a board member and helped judge poems that local children had written and entered contests. He has a personal library that has many first editions and many full sets of books. He loved hunting for books to complete his series. He even collected books written in several different languages. His high school English teacher, Mr. Hill had a novel list of more than 300 titles of which Steven took on a challenge to complete reading every book on his list and finished them all!

Steven’s job took him to many countries until Covid forced his company to ban travel which resulted in him teaching virtually from his home office. He met and made many friends throughout 30 years of teaching around the world.  This trip to South Africa was his second trip since the company re-opened travel.  He was found unresponsive in his hotel room from a cerebral vascular accident (hemorrhagic stroke) that placed him in a coma throughout his 42 days in ICU. Due to complications with a severe sepsis infection, he passed away from cardiac arrest.

Steven’s family and his church families were a paramount part of his life. He enjoyed teaching Bible classes, helping others with his knowledge of ancestry, going on archaeological digs in biblical countries, going on virtual walks that took him coast to coast and to Canada. He took his walks to areas that his ancestors had lived and where they went to church and cemeteries where they were buried.  He wrote about many of these adventures in his daily blog. “bramanswanderings.com”

The passing of Steven has left a huge hole in our family and the lives of a host of friends and relatives.

We will be honoring Steve with a Celebration of Life on Saturday, May 11, at 11:00 AM at the Highway 54 Church of Christ in Jefferson City, Missouri.  A visitation and lunch will follow the ceremony. 

Arrangements are under the direction of Morton Chapel, Linn, Missouri (897-2214)

www.mortonchapel.com