Obituary of Darwin Braund, 84

Darwin Gilbert Braund, PhD, State College, PA, died on January 28, 2019. He was 84 years old. Dr. Braund was born July 22, 1934 in Towanda, PA, the son of the late Oren Jacoby Braund and Elizabeth Gilbert Braund. He was pre-deceased by his youngest daughter, Pamela Sue Braund, at age 18, in 1986.

He is survived by two daughters: Michele Braund Reasner (Jeff), Newburg, PA and Wendy Elizabeth Braund, MD, Pittsburgh, PA. Darwin is also survived by three sisters: Shirley Braund Kibbe, (Clarence, deceased), Chaffee, NY; Elaine Braund Wickersham (Edward, deceased), State College; and Sharon Braund Decatur (Edward), Albuquerque, NM.

In 1959 he married Carol Ann Virtue of Guys Mills, PA, with whom he raised their three daughters. They were divorced in 1984. In 1987 he married Sharon Gleason of North Syracuse, NY. They were divorced in 2000.

A graduate of Sayre Area High School in 1952 where he was named Outstanding Senior, he enrolled at Penn State and was graduated in 1956 with a BS degree in Dairy Science. That July he began his professional career as a DHIA Fieldman in the Penn State Dairy Extension Department until enrolling at the University of Wisconsin where he received the MS degree in Dairy Husbandry in 1961.

Then he accepted a position in the Beacon Feeds Company at Cayuga, NY as Dairy Research Specialist. In 1964 his position was eliminated in a company restructuring. He enrolled in graduate school at Michigan State University from which he was awarded the Ph.D. degree in Dairy Nutrition in 1968.

From 1968 to 1970 he was Associate Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Kentucky. Then he joined AGWAY Inc. Syracuse, NY and retired from there in 1992 as Director, Research and Development. He then accepted a position as Professor of Animal Science at North Carolina State University where he was named Professor Emeritus in 1998. Following this he moved to State College where he served 10 years as the Volunteer Curator of the Penn State Pasto Agricultural Museum until 2008 when he retired with emeritus status.

During his career, Darwin especially enjoyed helping dairymen and their families, visiting their farms and homes. He spoke at hundreds of dairy meetings sponsored by AGWAY and the Cooperative Extension Service from Maine to Florida to Washington and across Canada. He was the author or co-author of more than 200 articles in scientific journals and the popular press. He presented research papers in Canada, France and across the United States and was the co-holder of four patents in the US and Canada.

In 1995 he spent six months as Advisor to the Polish-American Extension Project in Szczecin, Poland and wrote a book entitled “TOMORROW FINALLY CAME! Experiences as an Agricultural Advisor in Post–Communist Poland.” In March 1997 he participated in a five-university consortium with educators in Ghana, West Africa.

He was recognized several times by his Alma Mater receiving the Distinguished Dairy Alumnus Award from the PSU Department of Animal Science, University Alumni Service (Mitchell) Award, Outstanding Alumnus, College of Agricultural Sciences, and Charter Member of the Armsby Honor Society.

In addition to formal academic work, Darwin was a graduate of: American Management Course (AMA) New York, NY, Cornell University Agribusiness Executive Program, Ithaca, NY, and Missouri Auction School, Kansas City, MO.

Active in many professional and service organizations, Darwin was a member of the American Dairy Science Association (Board of Directors), American Association of Animal Science, American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists, Centre County Ag Forum, Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Onondaga County (President and Director) and the Cherry Valley Carriage Association (Founding President).

A 15 year member of the State College Kiwanis Club and Charter member of the Nittany Kiwanis Club (Boards of Directors), he was a Life Member of the Loyalsock Rod and Gun Club in Sullivan County, Life Member of the Penn State Alumni Association, and the Mount Nittany Society. He also served on the Penn State Alumni Council and the College of Agriculture Alumni Board. He was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church in State College.

Active in several fraternal organizations, he was a member of Delta Theta Sigma (president and director), Alpha Zeta, Gamma Alpha, Gamma Sigma Delta and Sigma Xi.

A well-known collector of dairy and farm antiques he organized and managed the All-Dairy Antiques and Collectibles Show in Harrisburg and exhibited there for 17 consecutive years. He was a Founding Member of the All-American Dairy Foundation.

He researched, wrote, and published the history of the Penn State College and Penn State University milk bottles and then donated his complete bottle collection to the Penn State Pasto Agricultural Museum. His donations of items to the collection (146) are the most of any donor.

Family and friends will be received at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 S. Atherton St., State College on February 2 at 1-3 pm with a memorial service to follow, officiated by Rev. Milnovich.

Interment will be held at French Azilum Cemetery near Towanda, PA at a private family service.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Darwin G. Braund, PhD, Scholarship Fund, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences or the Braund Family Scholarship Fund, Penn State College of Medicine.

Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com.