Patrick Curtis Brackeen, loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather died peacefully on April 30, 2022. The only child of Curtis Brackeen and Zella (Berry) Brackeen, Pat was born in Dallas, Texas on January 21, 1941. After the family moved while Pat was still an infant, he grew up in California, attending Whittier High School and the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Pat's passion for flight began in the U.S. Navy, where he served as a naval aviator on P-3s with Patrol Squadron Forty-Eight and as a VT-2 flight instructor. During a naval career lasting from 1965-1970, Pat reached the rank of Lieutenant and earned various decorations while serving in locations as far away as Alaska, Vietnam and the Philippines.

While stationed at Moffett Field near San Francisco, Pat first encountered the other passion of his life, Carol Czopor. They met through friends in 1968, and by the time Pat was nearing the end of his naval service, they were planning a wedding, which took place in Carol's Michigan hometown on November 21, 1970.

In 1971, Pat began his commercial airline career with a fledgling new airline called Southwest. Unsure whether this little start-up airline would last, he soon looked to the more established airlines and found a home at American Airlines. While he was based in Chicago, Illinois, Pat and Carol welcomed two children, Heather in 1974 and Kevin in 1976.

In 1981, Pat transferred to American's Dallas (DFW) base, and the family relocated to Albuquerque, NM. During the years in Albuquerque, Pat began a second career as a quasi-travel agent, expertly planning and executing vacations to various locales – to name just a few, Carol and their children fondly remember the beaches of Hawaii, the historic sites of Washington D.C., sand dunes in coastal Oregon, boating at Utah's Lake Powell, and learning to ski on the slopes of Colorado. It was also while living in Albuquerque that Pat warmly (and with great relief at how well his children had chosen!) welcomed new family members, son-in-law, Chris Bakas and daughter-in-law Gina (Sebold) Brackeen.

After nearly 30 years, flying iconic planes such as the 727 and the DC-10, and reaching the pinnacle of his career as a 777 Captain flying to European and Asian destinations, Pat retired in January 2002. Pat and Carol almost immediately set off on new adventures, selling their house and splitting their time between a boat in the San Juan Islands of Washington state and an RV based in Indio, California. These were special years in which Pat enjoyed the full-time company of his wife and regular visits from his children and their spouses.

With the births of Bridget Brackeen and Catherine Bakas in 2005, and Nicholas Bakas and Eli Brackeen in 2007, Pat embraced the role of grandfather, always engaged and interested in their milestones and activities. When his children and grandchildren all relocated to Fort Collins, CO, it was an easy decision for Pat and Carol to follow, and the family enjoyed a long period of living in the same place, celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions together.

Over the course of his life, Pat successfully battled cancer three times, but the treatments took a toll and eventually led to post-radiation fibrosis. Despite the ways in which this devastating side effect impacted his life, Pat remained an example of courage and determination that inspired family and friends alike.

In addition to his beloved wife, children and grandchildren, Pat is survived by extended family: brother-in-law, Edmund Czopor Jr. and his wife, Judy, and their children, Alyssa Czopor, and Stacey Czopor and her husband Justin Getts.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to one of the following charities:

Veterans Airlift Command

https://www.veteransairlift.org

The VAC provides free air transportation to post 9/11 combat wounded and their families for medical and other compassionate purposes through a national network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots.

Head & Neck Cancer Alliance

https://www.headandneck.org

The Alliance's mission is to advance prevention, early detection, treatment and rehabilitation of oral, head and neck cancer through public awareness, research, advocacy and survivorship.