Born in Pueblo,on April 13, 1908, Olwen Kendrick Braun was the first of three children of Rachel Powell and James Kendrick. Almost immediately, they moved to Gary, Ind., for another job in steel and then to Catasauqua, Penn., in 1912. Olwen got her education degree at Penn State in 1930 and hoped to stay in Pennsylvania, but by then her family had returned to Pueblo and her mother called her back to Colorado in 1931. Olwen married Paul G. Braun in 1942 and had one son, Anson, in 1944. Anson died of infectious myocarditis as a young adult and Paul died soon after.

An extraordinary teacher for her students, family, and friends, she taught junior high school science, English, and music in Windsor from 1931-1934, fourth grade and junior high school English in Pueblo from 1936-1941, and then in Lakewood from 1942 until her retirement. She wrote papers on fourth-grade education and how to transition students from one grade to another.

Olwen's life began unpromisingly when she nearly burned to death on the 4th of July, 1914. Her mother had made her a white organdy holiday dress and a neighbor child's sparkler caught the dress on fire. Burned terribly, she was at death's door. But a visiting physician, Dr. Hornbeck, answered the call from the family when all the other doctors in town refused, caring for her for months with painful but lifesaving treatments. She recovered and since then has not spent a day in the hospital or even had a serious cold.

Olwen was a tireless international traveler long before any but upper-class people traveled widely. Her insatiable curiosity took her around the globe beginning withthree other teachers on a trip to Europe in 1937 on the eve of World War II. Olwen took multiple trips to Europe, Africa, Latin America, Middle East, South Asia, China, Japan, and Antarctica. Mementos from every place on the globe keep her company, along with the vivid memories they evoke.

Olwen has much to do with my being a university professor. My earliest memories of our frequent visits with Olwen, Paul, and Anson are of being at the center of a whirlwind of stimulating books, trips, and conversations. We would scour Goodwill for wonderful books that we read and rebound. Every question asked led to a trip to the encyclopedia or dictionary, and word play danced through every conversation. Insatiably curious and endlessly energetic, she was and is a teacher 24 hours a day, chasing knowledge and information for the sheer pleasure of knowing and communicating. We have all been her students as she taught us the life of the mind.

Everyone acquainted with her knows she is a true friend to her family, neighbors, and former students. She was such a memorable teacher that some of her students still stay in regular touch with her 60 years later.