Douglas "Doug" Branstrom

Doug Branstrom had a punchline for all occasions. He was famous for his one-liners, the humor he poured from his head onto the countless typewritten pages in his home. He was a quiet, stoic man in person, but the calmest of waters can carry the strongest current underneath, just as they did with Doug. He was a brilliant man in so many ways, a man remembered for his humor, and beloved for his heart. Dougs story began on a snowy winter day in 1912, just after Christmas in Muskegon, Michigan. That was a year which lives in infamy, a year which saw the tragic sinking of the Titanic in her maiden voyage, sending nearly 1,500 of its passengers to their peril. Woodrow Wilson was elected President that November, beating incumbent William Taft and Teddy Roosevelt. On December 27, 1912, Arthur and Alida (Young) Branstrom received a belated Christmas present, a baby son they named Douglas. Doug was the oldest of four sons in his familys Muskegon home, with his younger brothers Keith, Max, and Dwight. Dougs parents were very hardworking people, and his dad worked for many years at Continental Motors, while his mother cared for the home. Doug was a very bright young man, with an enormously high IQ, though he was a very shy person from an early age, and a lefty, to boot. He was a very good student at Muskegon High School, and graduated in 1930, at the height of the Great Depression. Those were such difficult times for so many people, and Dougs dad was struggling to make ends meet at Continental Motors. So the elder Branstrom bravely began his own business, something that was truly recession-proof ice cream! Branstroms Ice Cream Parlor was born, and Doug soon went to work for his dad. The parlor was a beloved Muskegon business for many years, well-known by all the locals. They catered to ice cream socials, weddings, and baby showers, offering custom treats complete with bells or baby booties, and special colors and flavors. They also had their trademark brick ice cream bars, which were a favorite with their customers. It was truly a family business, too, and all the Branstrom boys worked there at one time or another. Doug worked there the longest, right up until 1952, when his dad decided to retire and closed up the shop for good. They were all sad to see it go, but Doug soon landed on his feet, and landed a job at American Coil, where he worked the rest of his career, 30-plus years. Of course, there was much more to Doug than his job, just as there was always more to Doug than met the eye. He was a very quiet, reserved man, very shy and a bit on the introverted side, too. He wasnt an animated man, and his minimal facial expressions often made it hard to tell if he was kidding or serious! But if you knew the real Doug, you knew he was always kidding. Doug had an amazing and prolific sense of humor, a sense of humor as unique as he certainly was. His favorite pastime was to sit at his little black manual typewriter, and churn out joke after joke, one-liner after one-liner, which he kept filed neatly away in his home, and his memory. He never shared them with anyone but his family and friends, but the jokes were legion in number more than 275,000 at last count as well as a window to his true heart. Does a comedian get paid in funny money? was a family favorite. The grass is always greener on the other side, said the man to the woman in the grass skirt! That was the last joke Dougs nephew remembers hearing from him. Dougs jokes werent always great, but they were always welcome with his family and friends. Though he was content to live a sedentary life for the most part, Doug did have his share of social outlets. He was a longtime member of Central United Methodist Church, where he made many friends with his fellow parishioners. Doug lived in the Roosevelt Park neighborhood of Muskegon for many years, and one of his favorite pastimes was walking (he loved to walk) down to Russ Restaurant to eat. All the waitresses knew him there, and enjoyed serving him. In fact, he formed a wonderful friendship with one of the waitresses, beginning when she was a 16-year-old, and spanning the next 18 years. She even visited him later in life, when he became ill and entered the Poppen Hospice in 2007. No matter his troubles, Doug never complained, always more concerned with others than himself. Sadly, Doug died there on Sunday, December 2, 2007, at the age of 94. Doug was a wonderful man, with a kind, quiet soul. He was a loving son, brother, uncle and friend, and a man who had a joke for everything. He was famous for his one-liners, the wit and wisdom he saved for his printed pages. Thats where his true personality came through, the real Doug so few knew. He was a brilliant man in many ways, a man so beloved for his humor and his heart, a heart we were so lucky to have shared. He will be greatly missed. Doug is survived by 2 brothers Keith Branstrom of Ocala, FL & Max Branstrom of Muskegon, along with many special nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents & 1 brother, Dwight. Services are scheduled for Friday, December 7, 2007, 11:00 at Central Methodist United Church with Rev. Dr. Randall R. Hansen officiating. Interment at Restlawn Cemetery. Visitation is Thursday December 6, 2007, 4:00 -7:00 p.m. at Clock Life Story Funeral Home. Memorial donations may be made to Harbor Hospice. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to share a memory or sign the online guest book.