Eugene "Gene" Henry Braukman, 80, a resident of the Verboort community passed away on  Sunday afternoon, August 25, 2019 at Providence St Vincent Medical Center in Portland.

Gene was born on May 25, 1939 in Perham, Minnesota.  He was the third of five children of Henry and Judith (Pohlman)  Braukman.  At the age of five,  Gene and his family moved from Minnesota to Verboort. His family moved back to Minnesota a couple years later and at the age of seven Gene’s family moved permanently to Verboort. He was raised on the family farm and attended Visitation Grade School and Verboort High School, graduating with the last graduating Senior Class of Verboort,  in 1957.

He met his future wife, Nancy Verboort, while attending grade school. They were both childhood friends. When Nancy needed a date for her freshman homecoming, she asked Gene, he accepted and following a few years courtship they married on October 15, 1960 in Verboort, OR. They started their lives together in the Hillsboro and Forest Grove areas living in houses that Gene helped build. They settled on their farm on Wren Road in 1971 were they raised their four children; Tracy, Wendy, Eric and Dawn.

Gene had worked in home & barn construction all of his life. He started working with Bill Braukmann and his father Henry as a teenager, later  forming "Henry Braukman & Son” with his father. They built homes together until Henry's retirement in 1967. Gene then started Eugene Braukman Construction,  a business he ran until 1975 when he went into partnership with his two brother and cousin (Butch, Tom and Jerry Kramer)  forming "Braukman Homes Inc." This company Gene ran  until his retirement in 1996. Then Gene began another business as an excavator having purchased a backhoe and dump truck.

He enjoyed the outdoors and the Oregon Coast.   The family often whitewater rafted the Snake, Salmon and Deschutes Rivers. He enjoyed crabbing and ocean fishing from his boat, the “Genan”,  also seeking out salmon and halibut. He hunted big game in Alaska and on his property in Eastern Oregon.He also ran a Christmas tree farm for many years on Lodge Road in Banks, OR.   Gene and Nancy enjoyed traveling, visiting Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii and The Cook Islands. He was an avid gardener and enjoyed the bounty from his garden; corn, tomatoes, beans and various fruit were all canned by Gene & Nancy. He volunteered at his parish, Visitation Catholic Church, helping build the parish center, and was Chairman of the Verboort Sausage and Kraut Feed twice.  He also helped with the smoking of the sausage, making & cooking kraut and cash management for the dinner. He loved being a grandfather, recently thrilled to become a great-grandfather to Weston Eugene.  He was also an avid cribbage player, and a founding member of "The 1/2 ton Cribbage Club".

He is preceded in death by his parents, his son Eric, & his brother Butch.

He is survived by his loving wife Nancy; three children and their spouses,  Tracy and Gary Roe of Hillsboro, Wendy and Randy St Marie of Banks, Dawn Braukman of Forest Grove.  Three siblings; Dorothy Peters,  Joyce Braukman, Tom Braukman.  Six grandchildren,  Olivia Remington, Alex Tieu, Wyatt St. Marie, Houston Braukman,  Walker Roe and Logan St. Marie;  and one great-grandson, Weston Eugene.

The family suggest donations in Gene's name to the Visitation School Building Fund; 4189 NW Visitation Rd, Forest Grove, OR 97116