JONATHAN GEORGE BROKAW

Jonathan G. Brokaw
(Photo from 1962 Mankato High School, MN yearbook)

Jonathan George Brokaw gravestone
(Photo by Vernon B. Paddock)

B. August 1, 1946 in Blue Earth County, MN
D. August 5, 1964 in McHenry County, IL
Find A Grave memorial (click here)

  • Father: George Lawrence Brokaw born January 1, 1915 in Dunn County, WI, son of Robert Brokaw (1886-1963) and Olive C. (Snodie) Brokaw (1886-1956); Navy veteran, WW II and Korea; George died May 11, 1975; buried in Highland Memorial Park, Libertyville, Lake County, IL
  • Mother: Betty Ruth (Pounds) Brokaw born October 22, 1924 in St. Paul, Ramsey County, MN, daughter of Julian Pounds and Della (Thompson) Pounds; died February 13, 2017 in Houston, Harris County, TX; body cremated

According to Findagrave.com website, Memorial # 177258821 by contributor “David Cross”:

“In memory of BETTY RUTH BROKAW OCTOBER 22, 1924 – FEBRUARY 13, 2017 OBITUARY – Betty Ruth (nee Pounds) Brokaw passed away peacefully at Houston Hospice on Monday, February 13, 2017, in the company of family. Betty was born October 22, 1924, to Julian and Della (Thompson) Pounds in St. Paul, Minnesota.  She was raised and attended school in Mankato, Minnesota.  Upon graduation she worked for the City Attorney’s office.  In 1945 Betty was recruited and traveled to Washington, DC where she worked as a secretary in the office of the Secretary of the Treasury.  It was in Washington, DC where she met and married George Brokaw.  George and Betty moved often with the Navy and had five children.  Betty taught Sunday school, was a Boy Scout Den Mother, President of the PTA and a member of Eastern Star for 61 years.  In 1976 she served as Worthy Matron for the Libertyville Chapter of the Eastern Star.  She also worked as a secretary for the Special Education District of Lake County, Illinois.  After retiring and moving from Illinois to Texas, Betty volunteered for the Memorial Herman Fort Bend Hospital for several years.  Betty is preceded in death by father Julian Pounds; mother Della Thompson Pounds; son Jonathan Brokaw; husband George Brokaw; brother Julian Pounds; and sister Ethel Pounds Wollam.  She is survived by four children: Julianne (Darrell) Frey, Lake Worth Florida; Kim (Mary) Brokaw, Dixon Illinois; Robin Brokaw, Houston, Texas, and Betsy (Frederick) Mensch, Palatine, Illinois; nine grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, and four great, great grandchildren.  A celebration of Life will be held at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 21, 2017 at Westbury United Methodist Church, Houston, Texas where she was a member for many years.  Memorials may be given to Houston Hospice or donor’s choice.  Betty’s love of life, keen fashion sense, and enjoyable sense of humor will be greatly missed by all who knew her well. – Neptune Society.”

  • Siblings:
    • Julianne (Brokaw) Frey; married Darrell Frey
    • Kim Brokaw; married Kim
    • Robin Brokaw
    • Betsy (Brokaw) Mensch; married Frederick Mensch

Additional Information:

According to the 1950 U.S. Census for Middletown, Newport County, RI living on Ellery Ave., the household members were:

“George L. Brokaw, head, age 35, married, born in Wisconsin, Occupation: Chief Fire Controlman – U.S. Navy; Betty R. Brokaw, wife, age 25, married, born in Minnesota; Johnathan G. Brokaw, son, age 3, never married, born in Minnesota; Juliann Brokaw, daughter, age 1, never married, born in Maryland;”

According to the Daily Sentinel (Woodstock IL) Thursday, August 6, 1964, page 1:

“Two Killed in Cycle
Crash At McHenry

   Two youths, from Grayslake and Round Lake, became McHenry County’s 16th and 17th traffic fatalities Wednesday night when their motorcycle collided with a truck on state route 120, about two miles east of McHenry, about 10 p.m.
   Dead were the driver of the cycle, Jonathan G. Brokaw, 18, 382 S. Lake St., Grayslake and a passenger, Gregory Fischer, 15, Rt. 1, Box 473, Round Lake.  According to state police who investigated the accident, Brokaw and Fischer were traveling west when their cycle collided with an eastbound vehicle driven by Robert H. McCauley, 19, 4016 Riverview Dr., McHenry, who was not reported injured.
   Authorities said that the cycle had apparently gone out of control and veered across the center line, when it and the eastbound vehicle collided “headon”.
   Brokaw the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Brokaw and Fischer’s parents are Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Fischer.
   The bodies were taken to the Peter M. Justen and Son funeral home in McHenry and then transferred to the Strang funeral home, Grayslake.  A 10 a.m. inquest will be conducted Aug. 22 in the Justen funeral home.”