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Ely lost an icon last week with the passing of Bill Braun.
Aptly and appropriately known better simply as Mr. Braun, he spent better than 30 years and touched thousands of lives during his tenure as a social studies teacher in the Ely schools.
In addition to history and geography lessons, his students learned greater lessons about life and no doubt those who stepped out of line may remember a whack or two from his infamous class ring.
Perhaps more so, Mr. Braun is remembered for his decades on the sidelines with Ely’s high school football team.
He coached the B squad for years and in all spent more than 40 years on the coaching staff, passing on the tips and pointers he gained while earning All-American status at St. John’s in the early-1950s.
Mr. Braun was proud of all of his teams, but he no doubt was one of the inspirational leaders of the 1987 Wolves team that captured the heart of the community and went all the way to the Metrodome before losing on Thanksgiving Saturday in a Class B state title game that was televised statewide.
But it didn’t matter if it was an Ely team that plowed through the opposition in the late 1970s and 1980s and 1990s, or those that struggle in the early-1970s and into the 2000s, Mr. Braun cared for, nurtured, cajoled and inspired his players all the same.
And years later, long after those players were done wearing an Ely uniform, Mr. Braun was there not only to share stories of years gone by, but genuinely interested as those young men moved into the working world and raised families of their own.
It’s been well over 30 years since Mr. Braun worked full-time in the Ely schools, yet decades later he remained a fervent supporter and advocate for our school system.
In retirement, Mr. Braun made frequent trips to the Echo office, usually one each fall to make sure his address change was in our books and that he’d continue to get his newspaper while spending part of his winters down south.
Even when more than 1,000 miles away, Ely remained in Mr. Braun’s blood and captured his attention.
It was truly fitting that even as his health began to fail, Mr. Braun maintained connections with old students and players and reconnected with others during this summer’s Ely High School All-Class Reunion.
Fitting also that the 1987 Ely Football Team now has a place in Ely’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Mr. Braun and his wife Georgia made Ely their home, raised their family here and their family tree now extends generations to include kids, grandkids and great-grandkids.
It’s both a massive and impressive legacy. When one thinks of famed teachers and coaches in the 100-year history of Ely High School, Mr. Braun ranks right up there with any who have ever walked the hallways, lectured from the front of a class, or served on a coaching staff.
At 92, his was a life well-lived and his impact on so many students and players is immeasurable.
On behalf of the Ely community, thank you Mr. Braun and may you rest in peace.
