WW II Deaths: Patrick Ryan and Richard Brandes

PATRICK J. RYAN 1925-2007

Army stint led entrepreneur to electronics

Patrick J. Ryan died Oct. 22nd in Palatine at age 82.

He grew up in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, but never attended high school as he was helping his family during the Great Depression. He lied about his age and joined the Army at age 16.

He commanded a light tank in the 3rd Armored Division in North Africa and landed at Omaha Beach during D-Day. The landing craft carrying his tank stopped too far out. His daughter said, "He lost his first tank there in about 28 feet of water." Only nine of the 35 tanks in his group made it to the beach. Later, he helped liberate concentration camps.

He founded Ryan & Associates representing electronics companies. He had two other companies in the late 50s and 60s. After retirement in 1990, he became a volunteer at Jane Addams School in Palatine for 14 years. He helped in many ways, but especially talked with the students every Veterans Day.

Nov. 1st Chicago Tribune. by Graydon Megan


RICHARD H. BRANDES 1922-2007

Exec locked Elgin watch factory on its last day

Richard H. "Dick" Brandes died Oct. 26th at age 84.

Mr. Brandes was born and raised in Elgin, Illinois, and began working at the famous Elgin National Watch Company's assembly line upon graduation from high school in 1941. The next year, he married Shirley, his wife of 45 years.

During WWII he served in the Army Air Force as bombardier aboard B-24s and B-29s and rose to the rank of second lieutenant.

After the war, he returned home and resumed working for the watch company, but continued in the Air Force Reserve until 1955.

He was stricken by polio at age 27 and took a leave of absence from work. After a year of intense physical therapy he was back at work as a plant manager at the company's factory in Lincoln, Nebraska. He remained there for three years and returned to Elgin where he became a vice president.

In 1966 Mr. Brandes helped close the 102-year-old Elgin Watch factory and had the honor of being the "Last Man Out." His daughter said, "He locked everything up the day the Elgin watch factory closed its doors."

Elgin watches were known for their high quality, but people began buying cheaper ones.

He remained another three years shutting down various other divisions of the company.

During the late 60s and 70s, he worked as a plant manager for Automatic Electric in Genoa and then as a part-time real estate broker. For the last five years he battle Alzheimer's.

As the obituary noted, Mr. Brandes was definitely a man of perserverance.

Nov. 1st Chicago Tribune by Joan Giangrasse Kates.


Both these men are great examples of the "Greatest Generation", the one that lived through the Great Depression and World War II. Unfortunately, we are fast losing them. These men represent the best that America has to offer.