- Date Of Death: November 6, 2008
- State: Illinois
Robert I. Brand, 83, of Jacksonville, died Thursday, November 6, 2008, at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield.He was born October 25, 1925, in Kewanee, the son of Hubert and Sylvia Lippens Brand. On June 8, 1950, he married June Reid in Jacksonville and she survives.
Mr. Brand is also survived by a daughter, Roberta â??Bobbieâ? Jane Westergaard, her husband Wayne, and two grandchildren, Benjamin Michael and Nicole Marie Westergaard, all of Newell, Iowa. He was preceded in death by two brothers, William and James.
Mr. Brand attended schools in Kewanee, where he was active in all major sports. He served during World War II as a radar man in the United States Navy aboard the USS Little DD803. Mr. Brand received a BA Degree from Illinois College, where he was a member of Sigma Pi Literary Society. While at Illinois College, Mr. Brand was on the football team for 4 years, the golf team for 1 year, and the baseball for 2 years. During his college football career, he earned 4 letters and served as the captain of the football team during his senior year. He then received a Masters Degree of Education from the University of Illinois.
Mr. Brand served as a teacher, coach, and administrator in area schools, including Sinclair, Chapin, Franklin, White Hall Junior High and Triopia Junior High and Grade Schools. For many years, Mr. Brand served as a registered official in football, basketball, and baseball.
Mr. Brand has been a member of the Jacksonville Elks Lodge #682 since 1952. He assisted Spike Wilson with the organization of the local Elks Youth Baseball program. He continued to umpire the programs games for 33 years and also reorganized the program into its present form of boys and girls baseball.
Mr. Brand started the local Elks Hoop Shoota free throw program and served as a local director for 12 years. He also served as West Central District Director of the â Hoop Shoot program for 2 years (1995 and 1996). On the state level, he served as a Hoop Shoot director for 11 years. For these efforts and his service as youth activities chairman on local and district levels, he received the Illinois Elk of the Year recognition in 1988-1989.
Mr. Brand was a past president of the Morgan County Teachers Association and of the Jacksonville Symphony Society. Mr. Brand was very involved with education issues, serving as an Illinois Education Association delegate who supported legislation to improve teachers pensions and survivor benefits. He also was chairman of the committee to rewrite the Illinois Education Bylaws.
