Gene Braun passed away peacefully at his home on December 28, 2021 surrounded by his family.  Gene was born in 1941 in Helena, MT, the son of Art and Jessie Braun.  He grew up in Wolf Creek, Montana, and commuted to Helena to attend high school at Helena High. Gene attended Montana State University where he earned a degree in Electrical Engineering and was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity.  Shortly after graduation, he started working at the Montana Power Company in Helena as a Division Engineer, later moving to Butte to work in the Engineering Department.  He had a long and successful career at MPC.  Over 39 years, he held many engineering and management positions retiring as Director of Transmission and Substation Engineering from NorthWestern Energy.

Gene was an active member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church; served as a Director on the World Museum of Mining Board for fifteen years; Past President of the Butte Exchange Club; on the Butte Central Advisory Board; Past President of the National Society of Professional Engineers; and a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).

In 1984, he married Mary Gail Sullivan and together they raised two daughters. Family was the greatest joy of Gene's life. A close second was elk hunting.  He would often say, "I like to fish but I love to hunt." He and his partners spent countless fall days tromping around the mountains and many happy nights at hunting camp in the north Big Hole.  Maggie planning her wedding on opening weekend of rifle season almost broke him, but he rebounded and told her he would not miss walking her down the aisle for anything – as usual, putting his girls first.

His parents, his father-in-law, Neal Sullivan, and his sister, Janice Schmitz, preceded him in death.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Gail Sullivan of Butte; daughter, Callie Sullivan and son-in-law Chris Tschida, Missoula, MT; daughter Maggie Sullivan Rose (Chris), their children, Cyrus and Prairie Rose, Rose Ford and his namesake, Imogen Gail Rose, all of Bozeman, MT.  Also surviving are his mother-in-law, Rose Sullivan, Butte, MT; sister and brother-in-law, Judy and Richard Furhman, Glasgow, MT; brother-in-law, Myron Schmitz, Seattle; and, Mary Gail's siblings and their spouses; Anne Sullivan (Bozeman, MT); Maureen and Bill Osborne (Butte, MT); John and Becky Sullivan (Clinton, MT); Jeanne and Steve Cannellos (Westford, MA); Julie and Jim Sullivan-Springhetti (Portland, OR); and Lynn Sullivan and Gary Walton (Bozeman, MT).  Gene played a special role in the lives of his numerous nieces and nephews, hosting holidays and wonderful family gatherings at the cabin near Big Fork, MT (Ferndale).  Gene is also survived by his long-time friends and hunting partners, Art Barz (Billings, MT), and Don Vaniman (Bozeman, MT).  Geno will be especially missed by his favorite black lab, Tilly.

A funeral mass is scheduled at 11:00 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on January 4, 2022 with visitation beginning at 10:00 am preceding the funeral.  The family has requested that everyone wear masks to prevent the spread of Omicron.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Butte Central Catholic Schools or the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.  Thank you to Dr. John Linford, Oncologist, Community Care and Cancer Prevention in Missoula, who made sure the quality of Gene's life was full over the last 7 years and to the Senior Solutions Hospice staff, Deacon Dan McGrath, and Father Tom Haffey, who were always there when we needed them.

One of Gene's favorite sayings was "I never met a cookie I didn't like."  Geno, enjoy all the cookies in heaven.  Until we meet again.