Obituary of Henry J Bransch

Henry was born in Poland as Henryk Józef Bransch in a small town of Pleszew near Poznan. His childhood and early years fell into a very difficult war and postwar period. Despite all those hardships, Henry was able to get a very good education and eventually became a mechanical engineer, graduating from Technical University in Poznan in 1967. After graduation, he worked as an engineer for Cegielski company in Poznan until 1981, building and testing marine diesel engines among other assignments. In 1981, he came to the US in search of a better life, first to Chicago, then to Indianapolis. Like many of his fellow immigrants, he started to work a number of odd jobs in the beginning, gradually working his way up. He worked as a technician and engineer for several local companies here in Indianapolis until his retirement. Henry enjoyed traveling and actively spending his time. He was a member of the Polish Tourist Association (PTTK) and served as a guide and an organizer of many tours in his native Poland and other countries. He especially enjoyed mountain hiking. He was known to the PTTK friends as "Father" (Ojciec) because of this caring nature. It was his curious nature that led him to the New World. He continued his explorations there and managed to visit many states and countries. Henry became a US citizen in 1995. He also continued to carry his Polish citizenship until his death. He was a longtime member of the Polish Cultural Society of Indiana and continued to cultivate Polish traditions in his adopted homeland throughout his life. He was known to his friends and neighbors for his smile, sense of humor, big heart, and willingness to help. He will be for sure missed by his family and friends, but he will always stay alive in our hearts and memories. Henry is survived by his three sisters: Anna, Jozefina, and Urszula.