Cecil John Brammer, 94, peacefully passed away in the early hours of Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, at Aspen Park of Cascadia in Moscow.

Cecil was born Jan. 11, 1929, the second child of August and Wanda Brunsiek Brammer of Cameron. He attended school in Cameron and graduated from Kendrick High School. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War on active duty from January 1951 to January 1953. He remained stateside while on active-duty training troops in both the infantry and cavalry. His claim to fame during that time was serving as a cast extra in a war movie, One Minute to Zero, starring Robert Mitchum.

On March 17, 1955, he and Diantha Jo Darby, a Southwick area native, traveled to the Nez Perce County Courthouse and paid $3.25 for their marriage license. They were married later that day at her parents’ home in Kendrick. They enjoyed fifty-five years together as Jo passed away on Dec. 15, 2010.

Cecil loved the land and even though his parents did not own farmland, farming was in his blood. He worked for several different farmers in the Cameron and Leland areas. After their marriage he and Jo moved to a rented farm on Cream Ridge, near Cavendish. There they started their family and worked side by side to care for the crops and land. In 1965, they moved to Crescent Meadow Ranch in Crescent, Idaho, northeast of Southwick. The ranch had been in Jo’s family since the early 1920s and they eventually were able to purchase the land as well as a couple of adjoining farms to complete their operation. Although retired he continued to live on the ranch until October of this year, imparting advice to his sons and grandson on the daily duties of the farm operation.

He was a jack-of-all-trades: farmer, carpenter, mechanic, electrician, accountant, cattleman, veterinarian. He took pride in his work and sought to help others when he could. He served as a commissioner for Good Road District No. 1 prior to its merger with the South Latah Highway District as well as board member and lineman for the Gold Hill Telephone Company before its service was taken over by the Potlatch Telephone Company. He was a lifelong active member of Cameron Emmanuel Lutheran Church.

Early in life Cecil enjoyed many hunting and fishing trips with family and friends. The responsibility of family and farm reduced the number of those adventures, but in retirement he and Jo enjoyed visiting each of the lower forty-eight states as well as five Canadian provinces with his brother, sister-in-law, and sister.

Cecil was preceded in death by his wife, Jo; his parents August and Wanda; brother and sister-in-law Harold and Fern Brammer; in-laws Mary E. “Beth” and Harold Presnall and Amy and Lloyd Farrington. He is survived by his sister Mildred Brammer; children LuAnn (Dan) Griffith, Russell (Suzanne) Brammer, Gary Brammer; grandchildren Kelsey Griffith, Cary (Kayin) Griffith, Courtney (Jared) Johnson, Drew (Cindy) Brammer, Garrett (Chelsey) Brammer, Joanna (Chad) Utke; great-grandchildren Anaya and Amalea Griffith, Huxley Johnson, Jayden, Rylan and Makynna Brammer, Adelaide Utke; lifelong family friend Lucille Schmieder as well as much loved nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m. Dec. 29, 2023, at Cameron Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 12633 Cameron Road, Kendrick. A luncheon after the service will be followed by a 2 p.m. inurnment with military honors at the Cameron Cemetery.

Memorial contributions in Cecil’s name may be made to Cameron Emmanuel Lutheran Church, the Juliaetta-Kendrick Ambulance Fund or to a charity of the donor’s choice.