Obituary

NEW PALESTINE – Joseph “Mike” Michael Brackman, age 73, of New Palestine, passed away Sunday, May 3, 2015 at Hancock Regional Hospital. He was born on November 5, 1941 in Rockford, IL as the son of Charles and Dora Pauline (Southerland) Brackman. He graduated from Trafalgar High School in 1960. From 1961 to 1964 Mike served in the United States Army as a SP5 engineer and communications specialist where he was assigned to Delta Company 317th Engineer Battalion in Bad Hersfeld Germany. He married Rita Kay (Hoffman) on December 31, 2004 in Greenfield.

He worked for AT&T as a field engineer for many years before retiring in 1997. Mike traveled extensively with friends and family. He had visited every state in the US, most of them by motorcycle. He had a deep love for the West and spent many summers exploring on two wheels. He loved his wife, family and friends, a good hand of cards, expressing his gamesmanship, and motorcycles and cars of all kinds.

Mike is survived by his loving wife, Rita Brackman of New Palestine; son, Charles Michael Brackman and his wife, Tolithia of Portland, OR; brother, C. Alan Brackman of Muncie, IN and his wife Elizabeth; sister-in-law, Delores Brackman of Rushville, IN; and sister, Marilyn J. Dunn of Rushville, IN and her husband Richard. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Pauline Brackman; and brother, James Brackman.

A memorial gathering will be held on Friday, May 8, 2015, from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at Erlewein Mortuary & Crematory, 1484 W. US Hwy. 40, Greenfield, IN 46140.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent directly to Hancock Regional Hospital, Attn: Cancer Endowment Fund, 801 N. State Street, Greenfield, IN 46140. Envelopes will be available at the mortuary. Friends may share a memory or send a condolence at www.erleweinmortuary.com or email condolences to [email protected]