This memorial website was created 
 in the memory of our loved one, 
 Joseph (Joe) Bravard.   
 We will remember him forever. 

A friend sent Ken and I this quote and 
we felt it so well expressed what is in 
our hearts....

                         I loved the Boy with the utmost
                         love of which my soul is capable,
                         and he is taken from me--
                         yet in the agony of my spirit
                         in surrendering such a treasure,
                         I feel a thousand times richer than
                         if I had never possessed it.

                                          Letter of William Wordsworth
                                          on the death of his son, 1812


      We hope you will share with us any remembrances or 
thoughts you may have of Joe by writing something under 
tributes or perhaps you would like to light a Memorial Candle 
for Joe or add a photo.  Although he is gone, may he not be 
forgotten.  We cherish your memories.


     I hope you will visit Joe's legacy, which I believe will continue.
I will continue to record the good things God has done, even in the 
midst of tragedy.  I have also put some random thoughts under legacy that may help you if you are grieving (even if you don't know us perhaps it will help) and I will continue to add them.


     Joseph Brandon Bravard, 21, died Sunday, Feb. 26, of injuries 
from a truck accident near Boone, Ia.  Funeral services were held at 
10:30 a.m. Friday, March 3, at the Open Bible Church, with the Rev. 
Phil Waldo officiating. Burial was at Linwood Park Cemetery in Boone.   
     Joe was born Dec. 28, 1984,  the son of Kenneth and Denise 
(Doolittle) Bravard.  He graduated from Boone High School in 2003. 
Joe attended Eugene Bible College in Eugene Ore., and DMACC.  
He was currently taking a break from college and working 
construction.
      He asked Jesus into his heart at the young age of four, and
at the age of 10, he chose to be baptized.
      He was a faithful companion to his dog, Jackson; a friend to many; 
a giver of cherished hugs to his grandmother; and best friend to 
Ben, Elisabeth and Kristin. He was the joy and life of his parents, 
who deeply love him.  
     He loved  playing his guitar and harmonica for his family and with 
his friends.
     He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Duane Doolittle, 
Willis Mills and Everett and Dorothy Bravard.
     He is survived by his parents, Ken and Denise; one brother, 
Ben Bravard and his wife, Kristin; and one sister, Lis Bravard; his
Granddmothers, Berva Mills and Ella Bravard, Aunts and Uncles,  
Cousins and Friends.

     Also lost in the accident were his friends, Grant Ward ( www.grant-ward.memory-of.com )and Trent Knutson.   Another good friend, Clay, survived the accident with serious injuries.  We hope you will join our family in continuing to pray for the families of all the young men and for Clay's healing, both physically and emotionally. 


    
I (Joe's Mom) have been developing  this memorial website to remember 
our beloved son and brother, Joe.  Although over a year has gone 
by since loosing Joe, we now realize what hard work greiving is.....so while 
it may seem to you like a long time has gone past,  for his family it seems 
like yesterday.   We hope you will stop back from time to time and see what
we and other family and friends have shared.

Joe was our joy and a gift from God.  Joe's quick and warm smile always 
helped him make friends easily and he was so fun to be around.  If you 
stopped by our house he would most likely be found with his guitar in hand 
and his harmonica with it's holder strapped around his neck, practicing a 
song.  Maybe you'd hear him singing or humming as he opened the door and 
you'd be greeted with his warm smile.

            He will be missed by so many people who loved him.

We are grateful that Joe is in heaven, for as it says in Ephesians 2:8-9:

              For it is by grace you have been save, through faith--
                 and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
                 not by works so that no one can boast.

Joe believed,  as we his family  believe, this scripture to be true as the Bible 
says, "All scripture is God breathed."

Our prayer is that through this memorial site, we will not only remember and 
honor our beloved son, Joseph, we will honor Jesus Christ.


While to us Joe's time on earth was far too short, God is sovereign and his 
word says....
                "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of 
                 them will fall to the ground apart from the will 
                 of your Father."  Matt. 10:29

 How much more precious is Joe to God, then a sparrow worth 1/2 a penny?  
 We are all precious in his site.

At Joe's funeral his father (Ken) spoke about starting a college age group to 
help young people find God's purpose for their life.  It indeed was started a 
week after the funeral and is called A Party With A Purpose (also called 
APWAP).  Joe's brother Ben and his wife Kristin are in charge of the group, 
with Ken and I assisting.  The group is growing and if you are 17 to 23(?) we 
hope you will join us.  You can learn more about APWAP by viewing  
them  at their MySpace site at http://www.myspace.com/booneapwap.  We 
hope you will join us for food, fun, make new friends and most importantly,  
help you find purpose in your life.

For now I would like to end with a  poem written by an unknown author 
that has given us great comfort over the last few months, it says;

                  No chance hath brought this ill to me;
                       Tis God's own hand, so let it be.
                  He seeth what I cannot see--
                       There is a need-be for each pain.
                  And He one day will make it plain
                        That earthly loss is heavenly gain.
                  Like a piece of tapestry
                        Viewed from the back appears to be
                  Naught but threads tangled hopelessly;
                        But in the front a picture rare,
                  Rewards the worker for his care,
                        Proving his skill and patience rare.
                   Thou are the Workman, I the frame,
                       Lord, for the glory of Thy Name,
                   Perfect Thine image in the same.
                                                Based on Psalm 119:167-175

How well this expresses life.  I remind myself that I am just looking at the 
knots and messy threads as our family works through our heavy grief, but
one day God will show us the glorious picture from his heavenly 
perspective.

Maybe the struggles of life are burdening you.  I hope this will help give 
you comfort and a "heavenly" perspective.

By the grace of God we will carry on, His Love endures forever.