Travis Broesche

Travis Broesche, age 92, of Brenham, died at home on Aug. 22, 2003. He was born May 6, 1911, in Ellinger, Texas, the son of H.G. and Ida Ehlert Broesche. He was baptized into the Christian faith in Burton by his uncle, Rev. August Falkdenberg on March 24, 1912, and was confirmed on March 28, 1926, by Rev. Arthur Hartman at St. Paul s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Brenham. Mr. Broesche attended Brenham schools, and Blinn College, where he was captain of the football team. He then attended the University of Texas in Austin, graduating with a B.S. degree in Architectural Engineering in 1935. He was a member of Tau Sigma Delta, honorary architectural society, and his senior year was awarded the A.I.A. Citation as outstanding senior student in architecture. On Oct. 11, 1936, Mr. Broesche married Lucille Krause at St. Paul s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Brenham, Rev. Arthur Hartmann presiding, and they remained husband and wife for the remainder of his life. Mr. Broesche began his practice of architecture in Brenham, designing a number of public buildings funded by the Public Works Administration, including: the Washington County Courthouse, Brenham City Hall, the American Legion Building, and a number of schools and gymnasiums constructed mainly out of native stone. During WW II, Travis and his family moved to San Antonio where he served as Chief Architect for the Hondo Navigation School and designed and supervised the construction of a number of Army camps out of Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio. Following WW II, Travis and his family moved to Houston, and he began an architectural practice there that spanned over 40 years. During the majority of these years, his firm was known as Broesche and Condon Architects, AIA. While practicing in Houston, he designed and supervised the construction of over 150 churches throughout Texas, while also designing numerous schools, hospitals, and other commercial and public buildings and private residences. In Brenham, these projects included the former Brenham National Bank building, now owned by Washington County. In 1962, he entered the first architectural competition sponsored by the Houston Independent School District which was intended to facilitate the award of school design contracts on a merit basis. Mr. Broesche s firm won first place and, on that basis, was awarded contracts on four elementary schools designed using the winning plans. The first of these schools constructed was Walnut Bend Elementary. Mr. Broesche was an organizing member of Faith American Lutheran Church in Bellaire and, over the years, served that church in many capacities, including President of the congregation. In the late 1970 s Mr. Broesche began phasing out his architectural practice in Houston and moved his residence to Brenham. He continued to practice architecture, first in association with Ben Boettcher and later as a solo practitioner, until 1996 when failing eyesight forced an end to his 60-year professional career. Following his full-time return to Brenham, his architectural projects in Brenham included Blue Bell Creamery offices and Visitor s Center and other Blue Bell facilities throughout Texas and neighboring states, Banc One Brenham then First National Bank, Trinity Medical Center, Brenham Clinic, the remodeling and expansion of St. Paul s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Grace Lutheran Church, and Kruse Memorial Lutheran Village, phases 1 and 2. Travis was a licensed professional engineer and architect and was a member of the following clubs and societies: American Institute of Architects, Texas Society of Architects, Church Architectural Guild America, Brenham Rotary Club, Brenham Heritage Society, life member, UT Ex-Student s Association, President s Council of Lutheran Social Services of the South, and Blinn College Alumni Lettermen s Association. At St. Paul s Evangelical Lutheran Church, he served on the church council and on numerous committees. Mr. Broesche was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Viola Broesche and Ida Mae Howell, and his brothers Henry Broesche and Charles Broesche. His survivors include: Lucille, his wife of 66 years; daughter and son-in-law, Brenda and Ira Allen of Brenham; son and daughter-in-law, Travis Charles and Suzann Broesche of Houston; grandson, Travis Jefferson Allen and wife Charla of Houston; grandson, Maj. Neil Thomas Allen, U.S.A.F., and wife Debbe Jo of Montgomery, Alabama; grandson Jeffrey Charles Broesche of New York City; grandson, Garreth Paul Broesche and wife April of Austin; and five great-grandchildren, Cheyney Allen, Claire Allen, Taylor Allen, Zachery Allen, and Hannah Allen. There will be a visitation at St. Paul s Evangelical Lutheran Church on Monday, Aug. 25 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at St. Paul s, Rev. Lawrence Bade officiating, at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26. Burial will follow in Prairie Lea Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be his four grandsons and his nephews: Henry Broesche, Michael Pettit, Randy Broesche, Jerry Boresche, Rodney Broesche, and George Howell. Honorary pallbearers are Erwin Dallmeyer, Berry Krause, Lawrence Seidel, Edward Kruse, Howard Kruse, Dr. Walter Hasskarl, Jr., Alton Gassaway, Pierre Roberts and William Rothermel. The family offers it great thanks to Mr. Broesche s caretaker during his final months, Judy Sargent, and to Cynthia Wilson who joined Judy in that task during his final days. The family suggests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to St. Paul s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 305 W. Third St., Brenham; Kruse Memorial Lutheran Village, 1700 E. Stone St., Brenham; or the Lucille and Travis Broesche Scholarship Fund, Blinn College, 902 College Ave., Brenham. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main St., Brenham.