Donald (Philip Neri) Bramble, OP

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Donald (Philip Neri) Bramble, OP

February 4, 1950 ~ September 22, 2024

Father Donald (Philip Neri) Bramble, OP, a Dominican friar of the Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, died on September 23, 2024, in Los Angeles, California from complications of Parkinson’s disease, from which he suffered for 18 years.

Fr. Donald was born February 4, 1950 in Quebec, Canada. He was adopted by Francis Glenn Bramble and Marian Frances Grimes; the family soon moved to Los Angeles. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1961. Fr. Donald graduated from Transfiguration Elementary School in 1964 and in 1968 graduated from Daniel Murphy High School in Los Angeles where he became acquainted with the Dominic Order. After studying at California State College 1968-1970, Fr. Donald entered the Dominican Order in October 1970. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and a Master of Divinity in 1973 from the Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology. Fr. Donald was ordained June 4, 1976, by the Most Rev. Floyd Begin in Oakland. He then completed a Master of Arts in Moral Theology in 1978 and later a master’s degree in social work.

Fr. Bramble served many years of campus ministry at All Saints Catholic Newman Center in Tempe, Arizona; St. Catherine of Siena Newman Center in Salt Lake City; St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; and St. Thomas More Newman Center in Tucson, Arizona. He also served in parochial ministry at Holy Rosary Church in Antioch, California, but was most proud of his ministry at Holy Family Cathedral in Anchorage, Alaska. He served there in 1978, and then returned in 2002 as rector and later became vicar general of the archdiocese. He was instrumental in planning the historic visit of St. Pope John Paul II to Anchorage, which included a Mass in the cathedral and an outdoor Papal Mass.

He was preceded in death by his parents and twin sisters Sr. Joanna Bramble and Jeanne Pieper. He is survived by his nieces Joanna Vose and Cathy McCutcheon, and nephews Jeff Pieper and Chris Pieper.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Dominic Church, Benicia, California, on Wednesday, Oct. 2; burial will follow at St. Dominic’s cemetery.

A memorial fund has been established to honor Fr. Donald. Gifts will support the education of Fr. Donald’s Dominican brothers still in formation. Donate at https://opwest.org/frdonaldbramble