Dagmar Marie Braun

It is strange how the expected can suddenly feel so unexpected. In the early morning hours of September 5, 2020, our mom, Dagmar Marie Braun, passed away in her sleep at the age of 94. A kind of disbelief set in; Mom had seemed nearly immortal to us. She was such a strong, vibrant, smart, dynamic woman—an impression not dimmed by her frailty of the past few years. Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, Mom was a willful, adventurous spirit with an internal strength born from living with the fear and horror of WWII and Nazi invasion of her country. After the war she immigrated to the U.S. to become a young war bride after meeting her true love, our dad Jerry G. Braun. He was also of Czech heritage though U.S. born, and had been a U.S. soldier stationed in Europe. Once settled in the U.S., Mom learned English quickly. She hungered for knowledge and wanted a career of her own. After the early child-rearing years, Mom studied landscape design in college and became a well-known and respected landscape designer--and then the first female contractor in California. When we were kids, she’d often take us on jobs with her—and we were beside ourselves when she introduced us to the occasional Hollywood movie star client. Mom's confidence and assertiveness in a male-dominated profession was truly inspiring; male contractors learned quickly that she had no tolerance for being called “sweetie”! Despite her busy schedule, Mom always came home in time to make dinner, typically one of her wonderful Czech dishes. Mom was the great planner and organizer, the one who would spend hours poring over maps, excitedly planning the family vacations that we looked forward to so much, family times together that formed the basis of many great memories. Even after retiring from her landscaping career, Mom wanted to stay busy, as if babysitting her beloved grandkids and volunteering at a hospital didn’t fill her time! She joined a writers’ group in her 80’s, and self-published her autobiography. She even found love again late in life when she married Andrew Jones, a man she met while volunteering. Mom deeply loved our dad (who passed in 1991) and her daughters Ellen Braun Kelly, Liz Braun and Ami Palmer. She also adored, as they did her, her grandchildren: Tom, Dawn, Erik, Jake, Peter, Cassie, Joe and Lydia. She has one surviving sister, Dana. Her sister Eva, one year younger, was her best friend and frequent adventure companion when Eva visited from Prague. Mom has left a family legacy that will echo for years to come: Memories of countless holidays she hosted with extended family, after spending hours putting together traditional Czech meals. Stories about growing up in Czechoslovakia. Mom’s wisdom. Her drive and tenacity. Her humor—and most importantly—her sweet, enduring love. We love you, Mom.