William P. Braker, Jr.

William Paul Braker, Jr., 98, formerly of Matteson, IL, passed away peacefully on July 27, 2025. Born on November 3, 1926, in Chicago, IL, he was the son of William P Braker, Sr. and Wilhelmine (Minnie) Johanna (Wassermann) Braker, he was the beloved husband of Patricia Mintie (Reese) Braker and father to his children Beth (Tom Scott), Chip (Joanie), Nancy (Steve Braker), and Gretchen (Liz Murphy). He was grandfather to Cory and Ben Scott, Sydney (Mike) Azzi, Calvin (Julianne) Braker, Wes (Annika Fredrickson) Braker, Michala Braker, and Mariah Cox, and great-grandfather to Ellen and Lucy Azzi, and Reese, Sienna, Bereket, Rhett, and Truett Braker.

Bill attended Fort Dearborn Grade School, Morgan Park Military Academy, received his B.S. in Biology from Northwestern University, and his M.S. in Zoology from George Washington University. After high school graduation, he joined the U.S. Merchant Marine to serve in World War II. After discharge from the USMM he started at Northwestern where he met Pat. They were married on September 1, 1950, and Bill promptly was drafted by the army to serve as an orderly at Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda MD during the Korean conflict. Upon Bill’s discharge from the army, Bill and Pat completed their graduate degrees and then returned to the Chicago area.

Bill began a 42-year career at John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. He started off cleaning tanks and feeding fish, and was promoted to Director in 1964. Bill then oversaw a complete overhaul of the Aquarium’s physical plant, the adding of Exhibits and Education departments, the transformation of the turtle pond in the center of the galleries to the 90,000 gallon Caribbean Reef Tank, the purchase of the Shedd’s own ship for collecting specimens, education, and research. His accomplishments culminated in the Oceanarium, a re-creation of the Pacific Northwest environment featuring Pacific white-sided dolphins, beluga whales, and sea otters. When Bill retired in 1993, the Shedd Aquarium had become one of the premier aquariums in the world.

Bill served on various boards, including the American Zoological Association (AZA, formerly the AAZPA), Prairie State Community College Trustees, St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church Vestry, and the Illinois Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.

Pat and Bill created a home on land they purchased as newlyweds in Matteson, where their children were surrounded by open space to roam and space to house dogs, cats, reptiles, chickens, and horses. The Braker’s home was the site of frequent gatherings of extended family and friends, including the famous Memorial Day picnics with softball, volleyball, water fights, firefly chases, and huge complicated games of hide and seek. The Braker family enjoyed many nature-based adventures including long road trips, camping, and skiing.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years Pat, his parents William Sr. and Minnie, his aunts Elsie and Carrie, and his granddaughter Abigail Reese Braker.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, 25055 W Walnut Ln., Channahon, IL 60410, from 1:00 to 5:00 pm on Sunday, September 28, 2025. At 2 pm, there will be a short program with an opportunity for guests to share personal memories of Bill. The family suggests that memorial gifts may be sent to conservation or nature organizations meaningful to the Braker family, including North East Wisconsin Land Trust, Alliance for the Great Lakes, and Organization for Tropical Studies.