John Alan Brayman
(1946 – 2026)

John Alan Brayman, 80 (May 13, 1946 – October 1, 2026), passed away on Thursday, October 1, 2026 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Savannah, Georgia.  He was a devoted husband, father, brother and friend, whose personal and professional achievements will be forever remembered in the legacy he left behind. 

Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, John Alan Brayman was the son of John Robert Brayman (1914-1948) and Frances V. Brayman (1919–2005), both of whom preceded him in death. He was raised into a large hard-working family, all of whom have led meaningful lives, despite losing their father early in life.

He is survived by his wife of almost 60 years, Peggy Brayman, who has been battling Alzheimer’s disease for the past 10 years, his son David Brayman (Tracey) of Burns WY, his daughter Kathrine Cortes (Julio) of Trout Valley, IL, and his beloved grandchildren Austin Cortes of Vernon Hills, IL, Ben Cortes of White Salmon, WA, and Emma Cortes of Trout Valley, IL.

He is also survived by his two siblings:  Gary Brayman (Sue) of Lindenhurst, IL and Todd Brayman (Jackie) of Grand Rapids, MI and preceded in death by three siblings: Robert "Skip" Brayman (Judy), Jeffrey Brayman (Sara), and Beth Tatreau (Paul).

He graduated magna cum laude from Western Michigan University and served his nation as a veteran officer of the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War.

He spent the majority of his adult professional life in the Detroit and Chicago suburbs. His later years were spent in Little Rock, Arkansas. Where he lived 30 years (from 1996 until late 2026) with his wife, Peggy.  He was relocating to Savannah, Georgia, where he passed away unexpectedly at the age of 80.

Throughout his journey, he embraced his amazing network of devoted friends, with whom he stayed connected throughout his lifetime.

John was an accomplished corporate executive, telecommunications leader, and specialty infrastructure strategist whose professional career spanned over three decades, known for leading major utility expansions and holding various key corporate board positions.

Throughout his distinguished career, he dedicated his early, foundational years to the telecommunications sector at Michigan Bell, where he successfully climbed the ranks and was promoted to Ameritech Corporate in Chicago. He served in various leadership

positions and retired as President of Ameritech’s Telephone Industry Services Subsidiary. In late 1995, he was recruited by Entergy Corporation & Entergy Technology Holding Company to spearhead their high-stakes push into unregulated markets. From 1994 to 1998, he served as the Executive Vice President of Entergy Enterprises, Inc. and President of Entergy Technology Holding Company, architecting domestic expansion into alternative non-regulated energy and utility frameworks.  Following these roles, he launched an independent Executive Leadership Consulting practice in 1998, providing strategic corporate advisory and leadership consultation to diverse corporate groups.

In addition to his executive roles, he held several notable corporate and philanthropic board memberships. In December 2003, he was appointed to the Board of Directors for InfraSource Services, Inc., where he provided vital corporate governance during its public transition and advised across Infrastructure Construction and Telecommunication Services units. He also served as an active board director for Utiliquest Holdings Corporation, a prominent underground utility infrastructure firm, until its successful strategic acquisition by Dycom Industries, Inc. in late 2003.

In addition to the corporate boards of directors that he sat on throughout his adult life, he also maintained an active dedication to humanitarian service by sitting on the Board of Directors for the Kidney Cancer Association from 1996 through 2003, helping to optimize the nonprofit's financial stability and reach.

John led with passion and humility, and his sense of responsibility drove every decision he made.  He will be missed tremendously by many.

A celebration of his life will be planned for a later date.

In remembrance of John, those who wish may make a contribution to the Alzheimer’s Association by using the following link:  https://events.alz.org/fundraisers/kathrinecortes/a-tribute-to-john-brayman