Vernon Branco's Obituary
Vernon Branco, aged 90, of South San Francisco, CA, died peacefully in his sleep at his home in South San Francisco on Thursday, October 24, 2013 at 7:22amHe was born in British Guiana (now Guyana), South America on June 27, 1923 to John Pereira Branco and Angelina Petronella (Leal) Branco and was the youngest of five children. When he was four years old, he emigrated with his family to the United States, landing in New York and eventually settling in San Francisco, where he spent his childhood. He attended Edison Grammar School, James Lick Junior High School and graduated from Mission High School in 1941. He was the only one of his siblings to graduate from high school.After graduation, he was employed by Pacific Telephone but this was interrupted by World War II when he was drafted into the US Army in January 1943. After basic training at Camp Roberts, Monterey, he was assigned to the 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division and saw action in the South Pacific Theater, fighting on Saipan and Okinawa. The 105th Infantry Regiment received the Presidential Unit Citation for Battle Honors for the ?exceptionally outstanding performance of duty in the combat against the enemy at Saipan, Marianas Island, on 7 July 1944″. He was also part of the first troops to occupy Japan, upon their surrender, until non-combatant troops could be mustered for the occupation.After being honorably discharged in December 1945, he returned to San Francisco to resume his employment at Pacific Telephone and marry his high school sweetheart, Hermina ?Minnie? Schwabecher, on January 19, 1946. They were extremely active in the local and state-wide square dancing scene, where Vern held many executive positions in the different square dancing organizations. They loved square dancing and traveled all over to attend dances, hoe-downs and conventions. They remained intensely devoted to each other until Minnie?s death due to Alzheimer?s Disease in 1998.At Pacific Telephone, he was an Engineer in the Division of Revenue, where his duties included performing separation studies of telephone equipment regarding toll and exchange equipment. He held that position for 30 years, retiring in 1983.During the Korean War, he felt the call of duty and re-enlisted in the Ready Reserve at the Presidio in San Francisco and served there from 1950 until 1953. During this time, he attained the rank of Warrant Officer JG.He loved camping and instilled this love of the outdoors to his family. Almost every family vacation was a two week camping trip to someplace in Northern California. Camping started out with tents and over the years, advanced to a ?pop-top? trailer and eventually to an RV, in which he and Minnie traveled extensively.He experienced three strokes, the worst of which was in 2005. He never quite recovered from that one and ultimately his health gradually declined until his death.Vern is survived by his three children and five grandchildren: son Michael (Diane) Branco and their two children, Michael and Angela; daughter Michele (Tom) Rodgers and their three children, Catherine (Forrest) Davie, Lisa and Rene; and son David.A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 at 11:00am at Skylawn Memorial Park in San Mateo, followed by a Celebration of Life at a nearby establishment.
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