More detail on this person: Brandoff, Todd Alan USA, CPT (Ret) Flight Class 67-18A-1, Callsign:
Mailman
Todd Alan Brandoff, 74, of Lolo, Montana, passed away in comfortable peace and without pain with his
family and many friends near him on Saturday, March 25, 2017 at St. Patrick Hospital of bladder
cancer.
Todd was born August 14, 1942, in Freeport, New York, to Carl and Adeline Brandoff. By the age of
16, he started his own small business doing salvage diving off Long Island. He graduated from
Baldwin High School in 1960. He graduated from the University of Montana with a Bachelor's Degree in
Journalism in 1966. He also completed the UM Army ROTC program and was a member of the
skydiving club. Todd worked as a Lolo Hot Shot firefighter during that time and later as a fire
lookout in Eagle, Alaska. He later graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 1971 with a
Bachelor's Degree in Education.
On June 10, 1967, he married Kerry Lynn Hartwig, in Dallas, Texas. He graduated from helicopter
schools at Fort Wolters in Texas and Fort Rucker in Alabama. He deployed to Viet Nam in 1967 and
served with the 118th Assault Helicopter Company out of Bien Hoa. He was severely wounded when his
helicopter was shot down. He received the Purple Heart. After a lengthy recuperation, he completed
his Army service as a company commander at Fort Lewis, Washington.
Todd and Kerry moved to Missoula in 1971. Todd worked as a sawyer with his own portable sawmill. He
served as director of Lolo Sewer and Water. He served on the boards of Missoula International UM
Friendship Program and of the Good Food Store. One of his proudest achievements was being an
advisor to the Missoula Refugee Assistance Corporation. A big priority in his life was his devotion
to his Christian faith by serving in his church as greeter, usher, and as a nursery helper.
In 1988, Todd was part of a group of Viet Nam veterans who visited Soviet veterans who had been in
Afghanistan. The group's mission was to exchange information to help transition back to civilian
life. In 1991, he was asked to be a member of the Gulf Peace Team which went to Baghdad, Iraq. He
saw these trips and his work with foreign students as citizen diplomacy to help bring different
peoples together.
Todd and Kerry loved to travel and made numerous trips to Canada, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Kazakhstan,
and the UK. They also shared interests in hosting international students. He belonged to the Western
Montana Military Officers Association. Todd especially enjoyed collecting fluorescent rocks, loved
art, and loved classic cars. He belonged to Hellgate Mineral Society and Lolo Shifters Car Club.
Survivors include his wife, Kerry, Lolo; his sister, Bonnie Stere, Oregon; niece, Jeanne Marie
Bohenek and nephew, Matt Bohenek. The Church Memorial Service will be at Christian Assembly
Foursquare at 1001 Cleveland on Saturday, April 22, at 11:00 AM with reception after. Military Honor
Ceremony will be at Western Montana Veterans' State Cemetery at 1911 Tower Str. Missoula, on April
19 at 11:00. Memorials donated in Todd's name can be sent to: Partners Hospice, 2687 Palmer Street,
Suite B, Missoula, 59808.
His widow, Kerry , asks that if the pilot of his aircraft the day he was wounded reads this would
he please contact her at kerry1947@msn.com. That pilot saved Todd's life.
This information was last updated 04/21/2017
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Date posted on this site: 08/31/2024
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