Obituary for HB Braymer
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Howard “HB” Braymer, age 93, passed away at home in Oklahoma City on January 27, 2021. He was born on August 17, 1927 to Merle & Faye Braymer in Bartlesville, OK. The family moved to Oklahoma City and lived in the Phillips oil field camp on the south side of the North Canadian River. Howard dropped out of school at age 14 and hitch hiked to Corpus Christi, TX and found a job at JC Penney’s. At age 17 he joined the Merchant Marines after being turned down by the military for having flat feet.
Following the war he returned home and graduated high school from Northeast High School in Oklahoma City and then attended OSU, Tyler Junior College and finally graduated from the University of Texas in 1953 with a degree in engineering. He worked for four years for Bethlehem Supply as a sales engineer and then two years for the Line Scale Company. While working in the oil field he saw flaws in the design of various products and eventually designed and new pump valve and various other oil field production related items. He started HB Corporation and sold the equipment worldwide and many of his inventions are still in use today. After the sale of his company Howard started investing in and drilling oil wells in the central part of Oklahoma. For the next eighteen years he remained in the oil field which is where he always wanted to be. When he finally left the oil business he succeeded in various other ventures and never wanted to retire even if it meant merely having a part time job. He loved to work and the opportunity to succeed. One of his favorite colors was yellow “because that’s the color of a sunrise and the opportunity to have a successful day”.
In 1969 Howard married Marilyn Withers and the two were together for 52 years at his passing. Prior to their union Howard was blessed with four sons – Bobby (deceased), Howard Jr., Bruce and Jay. Marilyn had one son, David Steed, that has been part of Howard’s family ever since. Later in life, at his 80th birthday party, he shared his salvation experience and his personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He wanted everyone to know he was redeemed and changed because of the work Christ did in his life. One of the grandsons described it as his “comeback story.” From that time forward he took every opportunity to share the gospel with anyone who would listen … and a few who probably didn’t want to. He was always upbeat and shared a positive attitude even when times were tough.
Howard is survived by his “Sweetie” (as he called her), Marilyn Braymer (nee Withers), his sons Howard Jr. and wife Donna, Bruce and wife Susan, Jay and wife Cindy and David Steed and wife Trudy, 14 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Patricia and his infant son Bobby.
The family would like to express their appreciation to his caregiver Courtnee Cline and Tonya and Jesse Barton with Accentra Home Health & Hospice for their care in his final days.
Howard “HB” Braymer, age 93, passed away at home in Oklahoma City on January 27, 2021. He was born on August 17, 1927 to Merle & Faye Braymer in Bartlesville, OK. The family moved to Oklahoma City and lived in the Phillips oil field camp on the south side of the North Canadian River. Howard dropped out of school at age 14 and hitch hiked to Corpus Christi, TX and found a job at JC Penney’s. At age 17 he joined the Merchant Marines after being turned down by the military for having flat feet.
Following the war he returned home and graduated high school from Northeast High School in Oklahoma City and then attended OSU, Tyler Junior College and finally graduated from the University of Texas in 1953 with a degree in engineering. He worked for four years for Bethlehem Supply as a sales engineer and then two years for the Line Scale Company. While working in the oil field he saw flaws in the design of various products and eventually designed and new pump valve and various other oil field production related items. He started HB Corporation and sold the equipment worldwide and many of his inventions are still in use today. After the sale of his company Howard started investing in and drilling oil wells in the central part of Oklahoma. For the next eighteen years he remained in the oil field which is where he always wanted to be. When he finally left the oil business he succeeded in various other ventures and never wanted to retire even if it meant merely having a part time job. He loved to work and the opportunity to succeed. One of his favorite colors was yellow “because that’s the color of a sunrise and the opportunity to have a successful day”.
In 1969 Howard married Marilyn Withers and the two were together for 52 years at his passing. Prior to their union Howard was blessed with four sons – Bobby (deceased), Howard Jr., Bruce and Jay. Marilyn had one son, David Steed, that has been part of Howard’s family ever since. Later in life, at his 80th birthday party, he shared his salvation experience and his personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He wanted everyone to know he was redeemed and changed because of the work Christ did in his life. One of the grandsons described it as his “comeback story.” From that time forward he took every opportunity to share the gospel with anyone who would listen … and a few who probably didn’t want to. He was always upbeat and shared a positive attitude even when times were tough.
Howard is survived by his “Sweetie” (as he called her), Marilyn Braymer (nee Withers), his sons Howard Jr. and wife Donna, Bruce and wife Susan, Jay and wife Cindy and David Steed and wife Trudy, 14 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Patricia and his infant son Bobby.
The family would like to express their appreciation to his caregiver Courtnee Cline and Tonya and Jesse Barton with Accentra Home Health & Hospice for their care in his final days.