"Helping smart parents raise smart kids," was Ruth McKinnie Braun's latest message in her new website, SuchASmartMom.com. Her goal was to give news and advice for parents with children in grades K through 12. Her energy , drive and sense of calmness in delivering that message came through in her frequent guest interviews on NBC 7/39 News in the Morning.
Her sudden death at the age of 51 six weeks after she was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma has left her friends, family and community in shock. She had beaten breast cancer 19 years earlier. She was married to Gerry Braun, formerly of the Union Tribune, now working for Mayor Jerry Sanders. They have two teenage children--Noah and Emma.
One of her most recent postings appeared in sdnn.com on August 3 about advising parents on how to keep their kids engaged during the summer and away from the screen. Braun was a reporter and editor for the San Diego Union Tribune for nearly 24 years covering local government, politics, crime and safety. She also edited Community Solutions about people making a difference in their community. Her efforts to help others was also apparent in her Just Fix it column to help county resident get local governments to fix problems in their communities.
Friends and former colleagues are sharing tributes in emails, calling Braun an "amazing journalist," "superwoman" because of how she was able to juggle a career, parenting and volunteer jobs. Others write of her serene quality, calm and in control, yet bursting with passion.
