Celebrating our A. B. Davis Centenarians: Meet Richard Brahs a graduate of A.B.Davis High School, Class of 1943

I hope by introducing Richard Brahs --the other Richard---I will spark an interest in your sharing with us other long living members of our illustrious classes. 

Pictured above, Top Center, is Richard "Dick" Brahs,
from the 1943 Maroon and White Yearbook 

Richard was born in Ridgewood, Queens on May 2, 1925 and the family moved to Mount Vernon when Rich was six years old.  Upon graduating A.B. Davis, he was promptly drafted into the Army then inducted into Military Police ("MP").  His assignment was to "transport and guard German prisoners of war on their way to camps inside the United States." The MP's were totally responsible for the POW's once inside the camps; however, when the American soldiers took weekend leave to visit family and local bars, Rich and comrades had the added responsibility to bring them back to the camps. 

  "Christmas 1945, Richard was honorably discharged, got married within the year and began a long and successful career in the automotive industry, starting at the Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Moter Company. After twelve years, he left his positon there as Business Manager to take advantage of an opportunity to join a new divison at Chrysler called "Dealer Enterprise" where qualified men would invest 25% of a required amount and Chrysler would invest the remainder. He relocated to learn and grow in Philadelphia, Buffalo, New Jersey and finally 30 years in Pound Ridge. Each move was a promotion, and eventually, he was elected to the Board of Directors of Dealerships, where his job was to make sure the 26 branches under him hit their quota and made profits. Eventually, he became Branch Manager for White Plains with 36 dealerships (and staff) under him." 

 Richard and a partner opened a Dodge dealership in White Plains in 1970. He dissolved the partnership eight years later and then created his own dealership in Stamford, Connecticut (where I currently reside) and in 1990 at age 65 he retired. 

 Richard moved to Heritage Hills (Somers, NY) in  2018 after the death of his wife of 73 years. "He has three grown children--two girls (one in Mahopac, the other in Carmel) and one son (in Florida); seven grandchildren and eight great great grandchilderen.

"I asked this 100 year old man if he has any words of wisdom re: How to live a long and happy life. Richard smiled, "'It's a good idea to make some friends along the way who are younger than you are.'"

 ------I am indebted to  Ina Geduldig, '58  for an informative article, entitled Meet Your Neighbor, Richard Brahs published in the Heritage Hills Newsletter; it was written by Rosetta Benson. I thank the author for her excellent article and used quoted text when needed.

      Kudos to Ms Monica Fernandez,  Media Department Specialist at Mt. Vernon High School who provided the above images.