James Joseph Bramwell

James Joseph Bramwell, 85, of Colorado Springs, died at home on June 30 of complications from Alzheimer’s disease, with family at his side.

Jim was born at home in Stirling, NJ, on December 10, 1932, to Beatrice (Orkins) and James Plunkett Bramwell, and spent his early childhood there. The family moved to Colorado Springs in 1945, where Jim attended West Junior and Colorado Springs High School. Enlisting in the Air Force in 1950, he was stationed in Korea, Texas, and Utah. He used his Gl Bill to attend Colorado College; he met and married Jeannine Kocher at Shove Chapel in 1960.

Jim taught History at Air Academy and Rampart high schools, retiring in 1992; his students will remember him as a tough, knowledgeable, and fair teacher. Jim has always been excited about history and politics. He ran in the primary for the State Senate in 1982 and always felt very good about “going for it” and getting his education ideas out there. He was a founding member of CSTA and for years served on the CEA Board of Directors and the State Committee for Teacher Education and Certification. The family attended First Congregational Church, and Jim served many years on the Building Maintenance Committee and the Historical Committee. For two years he served as Moderator of the church’s Board of Directors.

Jim was a lover of the outdoors and especially of the Colorado mountains. Many times over the years he renewed himself with hiking and rockhounding trips in the mountains all over Colorado, with his friend, Dave Seyfert, and with other friends; he always treasured those times. He loved to read westerns (Louis L’Amour was a favorite), watch television (John Wayne was a favorite) and history and historical novels. He loved puns and punning. In later years he enjoyed meeting with friends at the FCC Morning Men’s Group; the men still remember his pumpkin bread.

James was preceded in death by his parents and by a son, Joseph Paul. He is loved and mourned by his wife of 58 years, Jeannine; his sister, Judy Harris of Grain Valley, MO; his daughters, Kerry Bramwell and Ellen Bramwell of Colorado Springs; his son, Benjamin Bramwell (Susan) of Castle Rock; and his granddaughters, Stephanie Noel and Kimberly Sue.

Memorial service is scheduled for 10:00 am on Thursday, July 12, at First Congregational Church, 22 East St. Vrain, with a brief reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, friends might make a contribution in Jim’s name to First Congregational Church, Colorado College, or the Alzheimer’s Association.