Peter Paul Bracke DBA
August 28, 1921 to October 15, 2021
He was 100 years old at the time of his death and I am proud to call him my dad.
Dad was born in Berlin Germany on August 28, 1921. He immigrated to America through Elis Island in 1929,
along with his parents and older sister. The family settled in Milwaukee Wisconsin where his father worked
as a machinist for an industrial supplier. They lived on North 40th Street.
Grandpa was a motorcycle enthusiast and like his dad, Peter owned his own bike at an appropriate age. Soon
he was riding with his buddies and left a note for his mom on the kitchen table that he and a friend were
headed on their bikes for California. So begins the adventure.
Dad graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in engineering. Soon thereafter he joined the
US Army. Dad wanted to be a pilot. He obtained a private license but could not pass the military requirement
because of flat feet.
He served in Berlin Germany at the end of WWII, but did not see combat. He had several tours of duty in
Berlin and was in West Berlin at the time the wall came down. A piece of the wall is part of his previous home
in Virginia.
Dad earned his Doctorate at the University of Chicago while stationed there in 1963. After a change of
station to Maryland and buying their 4th home in Annandale VA, he joined the Northern Virginia Community
College as a Professor of Engineering. After retirement, he settled down in Venice Florida with his wife of 50
plus years, Eloise.
Dad will be buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on April 29th 2022 at 0900
hours.
Peter is survived by his son Thomas P Bracke.
