STARKWEATHER, N.D. - They buried one of the good guys here Saturday in this tiny Ramsey County community.
Gene Braathen was laid to rest after dying of a heart attack last week on his way back home from a basketball game his grandson played in Grand Forks.
He was a basketball player for Starkweather years ago, a former farmer in the area, and a bus driver for the school.
One of his good friends was Pinky Hunt, who now lives in Devils Lake.
“I knew him well,” Hunt says. “He was a year older than me and he was a good muscle man in basketball. Not very tall, but he was tough under the basket.”
Braathen established himself over the years as one of the most likeable and approachable guys in Starkweather.
He drove school bus for over 30 years, Hunt said. So he was a popular figure with the kids as well.
“Everybody liked him,” added Hunt. “I never heard anybody say a bad word about him.”
Braathen was the son of Arne Braathen, and had family members and relatives in Norway.
He not only played basketball, but dabbled in skiing too along with his dad, who was probably more adept in the sport than his son was.
Hunt said Braathen began seriously farming as a freshman in high school with his family on the outskirts of Starkweather.
He was retuning from Grand Forks after watching his young grandson play basketball for Thompson in a Class B Regional Tournament.
“He was near Michigan on the way home and began feeling ill,” added Hunt. “He called one of his daughters and she told him to stop and rest.”
“They found him slumped over the wheel.”
Braathen was alone in the vehicle. His wife had apparently stayed behind in Grand Forks because she planned to return to the tournament.
Hunt says he will miss his friend, who was only one year older. They used to talk a lot on the phone and hash over ballgames.
“I worked for him for a while too,” added Hunt. “He was really one of the good guys.”
Braathen leaves his wife and five children.
The funeral Saturday filled up the Starkweather Lutheran Church, further evidence of the high esteem in which he was held.
“They fed over 400 at the lunch,” added Hunt.
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STARKWEATHER, N.D. - They buried one of the good guys here Saturday in this tiny Ramsey County community.
Gene Braathen was laid to rest after dying of a heart attack last week on his way back home from a basketball game his grandson played in Grand Forks.
He was a basketball player for Starkweather years ago, a former farmer in the area, and a bus driver for the school.
One of his good friends was Pinky Hunt, who now lives in Devils Lake.
“I knew him well,” Hunt says. “He was a year older than me and he was a good muscle man in basketball. Not very tall, but he was tough under the basket.”
Braathen established himself over the years as one of the most likeable and approachable guys in Starkweather.
He drove school bus for over 30 years, Hunt said. So he was a popular figure with the kids as well.
“Everybody liked him,” added Hunt. “I never heard anybody say a bad word about him.”
Braathen was the son of Arne Braathen, and had family members and relatives in Norway.
He not only played basketball, but dabbled in skiing too along with his dad, who was probably more adept in the sport than his son was.
Hunt said Braathen began seriously farming as a freshman in high school with his family on the outskirts of Starkweather.
He was retuning from Grand Forks after watching his young grandson play basketball for Thompson in a Class B Regional Tournament.
“He was near Michigan on the way home and began feeling ill,” added Hunt. “He called one of his daughters and she told him to stop and rest.”
“They found him slumped over the wheel.”
Braathen was alone in the vehicle. His wife had apparently stayed behind in Grand Forks because she planned to return to the tournament.
Hunt says he will miss his friend, who was only one year older. They used to talk a lot on the phone and hash over ballgames.
“I worked for him for a while too,” added Hunt. “He was really one of the good guys.”
Braathen leaves his wife and five children.
The funeral Saturday filled up the Starkweather Lutheran Church, further evidence of the high esteem in which he was held.
“They fed over 400 at the lunch,” added Hunt.
