Anna Louise Seeman Brainard died quietly in her sleep, surrounded by her family on March 26, 2000, at Billings Deaconess Hospital. She was born November 23, 1916, at Consort, Alberta, the daughter of Ludwig Hennig Seeman and Frieda Marie Bach. The family moved to Alvadore, Ore. in 1921 and then to Manhattan in 1925. The following year they moved to a ranch in the Madison Valley.

Anna graduated from the Upper Madison School in 1930 and then Manhattan High School in 1934. She lived in Manhattan while she was attending high school, working for her board and room. Times were hard during the Depression years, but the family fared well. They did most of the work on the ranch and always milked cows to sell cream and butter. They raised their own meat and had a large garden and orchard. There was always a bounty to eat at home, even when money was scarce.

After graduation, Anna worked in Bozeman caring for children to supplement the Depression era income of her parent’s ranch. She lived in Gallatin County for the rest of her life. In 1935 her father was killed in an accident with runaway horses, and her mother moved to Manhattan in 1937.

She married Kenneth Todd in 1935. They were later divorced. She then married Harry Brainard on August 10, 1945. They lived on their ranch near Manhattan for the rest of their lives. They had a daughter, Harriet Ann, who died in 1947. Their son, Edwin D. and his wife, Alice “Punky,” of Manhattan survive. Also surviving are two sons from her first marriage: Gene E. Todd and his wife, Marian, of Belgrade and Kenneth “Pat” Todd, of Bozeman. Also surviving are a brother, Gordon Seeman and his wife, Joyce, of Manhattan; two sisters: Myrtle Clinton, of Bozeman, and Eileen Jones and her husband, Robert of Bend, Ore.; five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harry; a daughter, Harriet Ann Brainard; her parents; and her brother, Fred Seeman.

She was a charter member of the Maudlow Women’s Club and a member of the Gallatin Cowbelles. She was an active participant in the family ranching business. In addition to managing purebred Hereford cattle records, she was a ranch hand when needed, whether it was milking cows, branding, moving cattle, pulling calves or any other chore where help was needed. She cooked for the family and hired hands at the ranch and it was not unusual to find as many as 15 people at the table for three meals a day. Mornings began early and days ended late. She enjoyed gardening and fishing. She like to do handiwork and made many beautiful embroidered and crocheted objects as gifts for others. Her husband required constant care and nursing in his later life and this was her first priority. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She will be sorely missed by her family and friends.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, March 29, at 1:30 p.m. at Dokken-Nelson’s Sunset Chapel. Interment will follow in Sunset Hills Cemetery. Should friends desire, memorials in Anna’s name may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children, Spokane, WA; or to the MSU Rodeo Club, Bozeman, MT.

Printed in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle ~ March 27, 2000