John Braley

John Howard “Jack” Braley, of Grand Rapids, died on May 8, 2024, a day after his 96th birthday, May 7, 1928. Jack’s joy was found in the family he adored. He loved his wife, Virginia (Moore) who preceded him in death in 2020, and son-in-law, Eric Northard. Surviving are his children: Nancy Northard, Betsy (Rick) Braccio, and Sally (Wade) Jackson; grandchildren: Jon (Rossana) Northard, Alexandra (Patrick) Meese, Nick (Meg) Braccio, Logan Jackson; great-grandchildren: Conner Meese, Jaden and Noah Northard and Ainsley Braccio; sister-in-law, Betsy Tinkham. Jack was a quiet man with a keen sense of humor, especially when it came to wordplay and limericks. He received his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Michigan State University and was a graduate assistant there. He served in the U.S. Army as a quartermaster in the Pacific at the U.S. Army headquarters during the Korean War and at the war’s end he went on to become a market analyst at the American Seating Company. Following his time there, he then organized and managed the marketing research functions at Foremost (Farmers) Insurance Company and was its business economist. Jack also served as an officer for the National Association of Business Economists and the American Marketing Association. He loved music and in his earlier years played trumpet in school bands through college as well as in dance bands. In addition, he also played in a trumpet trio in which he won a talent contest and an NBC audition to New York. Talented in many respects, Jack also enjoyed writing and acting in civic theater. He loved organized sports and played in several tennis and golf leagues over the years. He was a longtime fan of MSU and the Detroit Tigers. Private family services for Jack will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials in his memory are suggested to the Grand Rapids Community Foundation, 185 Oakes St. SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 or to the Charity of Choice.    

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