Former MEI teacher/coach, Eva Braun (wife to MEI high school basketball coach Jake Braun), passed away on February 24th; She was 87. Coach Jake Braun passed away in 2011.
The memorial is on Saturday, March 24th (1:00 pm) at South Abbotsford Church on Huntingdon Rd in Abbotsford.
Eva Belle Braun
Eva was born on August 23, 1930, in Stockton, California to Elva and Frank Day Sr. She had an older half-sister and a younger brother whom she was very close to growing up. She gave her life to Jesus as a young girl and fondly remembers attending church with her Grandmother, who was a preacher. She graduated from Stockton High School in 1948 and attended Fresno Bible College the year following. It was here that she met her future husband, Jake Braun, who was from Greendale, BC. They were married on July 22nd, 1950 in Stockton and began teaching careers shortly thereafter. They had 2 children, Christine and Jerome. Together Jake and Eva taught and coached numerous sports teams for over 35 years together. Their careers took them to Vanderhoof BC, Hillsboro Kansas, Seaside Oregon, and Reedley California, before they finally settled in Abbotsford BC.
It was here that they both found success in building a powerhouse Basketball program at the Mennonite Educational Institute (MEI) in Abbotsford. While Jake coached two teams to the Provincial Championships in 1963 and 1970, Eva was amassing an impressive resume of her own winning numerous League and Fraser Valley Championships for the girls’ side. She was a pioneer in building the Physical Education Department at MEI and despite her lack of formal training, she was eventually granted official certification by the Board of Teachers who recognized her ability as an educator. Eva was a beloved teacher and through the years would often run into former students who would fondly reminisce about their time in her classroom.
Following their retirement from teaching, Jake and Eva began pastoring a church in Mission BC, and eventually moved to Abbotsford, where they continued to pastor until their second retirement in 2010! In November, 2011, Jake went home to be with the Lord and Eva struggled with health issues. She spent her final years at Maplewood House and she left this earth to see Jesus and her beloved husband on Saturday, February 24, 2018.
Eva leaves a legacy of faith in Jesus to her 2 children, Jerry Braun and Chris Reimer, her 6 Grandchildren, and 13 Great-Grandchildren, many of whom continue to follow in her footsteps as Educators and Coaches.
(submitted by granddaughter; Stephanie Fox)
