John Brissee

Gunderson Funeral Home Brissee, John A. "Jack" > OREGON - John A. "Jack" Brissee, age 76, of rural Oregon, a well-known and dedicated amateur genealogist, died peacefully on Tuesday, May 8, 2007, after a valiant battle with cancer. He fought this battle silently. In fact, many who knew him well were unaware of his struggle until the very end. Instead, he chose to focus his energies on his family and his work within the genealogical community. Jack was born in Madison, the son of John J. and Della C. (Beyreis) Brissee. He graduated from Madison West High School in 1949. In 1952, he and Mary Ann Brown, of Verona, were joined in marriage. The following year he graduated from the UW-Madison and soon thereafter was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army. He made the Army his first career and there developed administration and strategy talents which he employed well beyond his time in the military. Jack was a veteran of the Korean conflict and the Vietnam War, serving two tours of duty in Vietnam. He also served in Japan, Germany and many other posts in this country. Jack retired in 1978, as a full colonel with the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps. Upon his retirement, he and Mary moved to Burnsville, Minn. There he was employed by the Lutheran Church in America, serving as consultant on stewardship projects for congregations in the upper Midwest. In 1987, Jack and Mary returned to the Madison area, happy to finally be near their families, but leaving their children scattered throughout the world. It was then that a family legend of a long-lost great-grandfather who failed to return from the Alaskan Gold Rush in the 1890s, ignited a passionate interest in genealogy that lasted the remainder of his life. Not only did he succeed in establishing the fate of that wandering ancestor, he developed such expertise that he was soon conducting specialized classes and programs throughout the state. Jack was a longtime member of the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society. He served as its first vice-president from 1992 to 1998 and as its president from 1998 to 2004. Jack served as chair of the Wisconsin Sesquicentennial Family History Conference in 1988 and as local arrangements chair of the 2002 National Genealogical Society (NGS) Conference at Milwaukee. From 1996 to 2000 he was chair of the joint NGS/FGS Records Preservation and Access Committee for which he was awarded both the George E. Williams and David S. Vogels, Jr. Awards by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. He was a member of the NGS since 1989, up until his death he was serving as a NGS board member, and was a member of several national and local genealogical societies. Another longtime interest was the Boy Scouts of America. As a youth, he was a member of the Four Lakes Council Boy Scout Drum and Bugle Corps. Jack traveled to Moisson, France in 1947 to attend the Sixth World Jamboree, the first scout Jamboree following World War II. Upon his return he was called to share his experiences, sparking an interest in public speaking, a talent that served him throughout his life and varied pursuits. When Jack spoke he did so with creativity, clarity, humor, intelligence and passion. Jacks faith remained strong and constant throughout his life. His faith was evident not only by what he said but also by what his did with his time and talents. Jack is survived by his three children, Deborah (Jean-Pierre) Frauche of Lausanne, Switzerland, James (Pamela) Brissee of Houston, Texas and Catherine (Colin) Cooley of Sauk Rapids, Minn.; and eight grandchildren, Jacques, Elisa and Pierre Frauche of Lausanne, Switzerland, Lucie (Wissam) Frauche-Rajha of Beirut, Lebanon, Jacob and Erica Brissee of Houston, Texas and Mary and Robert Cooley of Sauk Rapids. He is further survived by his brother, William of Rhinelander. His wife, Mary, preceded him in death in 1989. Funeral services will be held at LUTHER MEMORIAL CHURCH, 1021 University Ave., Madison, at 11 a.m., on Friday, May 11, 2007. Burial will be at Prairie Mound Cemetery, Oregon. Visitation will be at the GUNDERSON OREGON FUNERAL HOME, 431 Soden Drive, Oregon from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m., on Thursday, May 10, 2007. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial contributions to HospiceCare Inc. Well done good and faithful servant. You will be missed, but not forgotten. Gunderson Oregon Funeral and Cremation Centers 431 Soden Drive (608) 835-3515 www.gundersonfh.com