Thomas Brannum Obituary

Thomas Perry Brannum Thomas Perry Brannum was born in Illinois in March 1920. He passed away on August 20, 2014, at the age of 94. He was born the third of three children to Reverend Thomas Brannum and Miriam Roberts Brannum. In 1925 the family moved to California and settled in Redlands, where Tom attended elementary and high school. He graduated from San Bernardino Valley Junior College, where he worked as a proctor in anatomy and physiology and majored in science under the program used for pre-medical students. Based on his grade points, he was awarded a scholarship. In 1940 he enrolled at Cal Poly as a junior majoring in Meat Animal Husbandry. In December of 1941 Tom was inducted into the Army of the United States and was assigned to the Medical Corps. Much of his enlistment was spent as a laboratory technician in India examining specimens for microscopic identification of blood and intestinal parasites, and culturing water and food for microbial contamination. In February of 1946 he was discharged on the west coast after completing the second half of an around the world voyage in troop ships. He then returned to Cal Poly to complete course work for a degree in Animal Husbandry. At this time he became reacquainted with Gladys Gray, a childhood friend from Redlands, who was teaching elementary school in San Luis Obispo. They became engaged while Tom was still a student and were married in 1948. Marriage to Gladys was a highlight of Tom's life, which he considered as proof of his good fortune. Their first home was on Dos Pueblos Ranch in Santa Barbara County. Another highlight of Tom's life was the birth of two children, Tim and Sheila. He was extremely grateful for his wife and children, and especially thankful for his two granddaughters, Diana and Mia Tedone. After two years at Dos Pueblos Ranch and two years as an instructor in a night school general agriculture class for veterans in Santa Ynez, Tom was called to Cal Poly to become a member of the Animal Husbandry faculty. His duties while a faculty member included lecturing for seven different beef cattle courses and supervising "hands-on" student enterprises in show cattle, commercial and purebred cow/calf production and feeder cattle. Following fifteen years at Cal Poly and two years at Santa Ynez Research Farm, Tom accepted a position as director of technical services for LOOMIX, Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of livestock supplements, where he remained until his retirement 27 years later. When Diamond A Cattle Company became a partner in LOOMIX, Inc., Tom assumed responsibility for the nutrition programs at Diamond A feedlots in five states and numerous cattle ranches managed or owned by Diamond A. Tom was a registered professional animal scientist, and a member of Alpha Zeta honorary scholastic agricultural society. Horses played an important role in Tom's life after he became a horse owner at age 13, and although he sold his last horse in 1940 to help pay for his Cal Poly expenses, he was privileged to be horseback riding and doing work with cattle or horses at least weekly (with the exception of army service) until he was 86 years old. Tom was a long time member of the San Luis Obispo First Presbyterian Church, where he served two terms as a Deacon. After his retirement, Tom volunteered as a twice a week floor volunteer at French Hospital for fourteen years and tutored in English as a second language for the Literacy Council. During his retirement years he also read and recorded text books for disabled students at Cal Poly. In 2000 he was the recipient of Cal Poly's Animal Science Department's honorary member of the Block and Bridle Club. He is survived by his wife, Gladys of 66 years, his son Timothy (Tracy) Brannum, his daughter Sheila (Bob) Tedone, two granddaughters, Diana Tedone of Half Moon Bay and Mia Tedone of San Luis Obispo, and several nieces and nephews of Southern California and Oregon, including nephew Tom Gray of Cambria. At his request, no public service will be held. A private family memorial will ensue in the future. Donations in his name can be sent to Cal Poly Animal Sciences Department Scholarship, Advancement Office, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, 93407. Sign his guestbook at sanluisobispo.com/obituaries