Joan Bramhall was key figure in Morris GOP politics

Joan Bramhall was a major force in Morris County Republican politics for decades.

The 75-year-old Bramhall became a member of the county Republican Committee in 1973, and ultimately served as county GOP chairwoman from 1988 to 1994. At the time, she was the only woman serving as a county chair in the state and she held the position for five years.

She was an aide and officer manager for the late Rep. Dean Gallo, who himself was a freeholder and state legislator before being elected to represent Morris County in Congress for 5 terms.

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Bramhall eventually sought elected office on her own and became a freeholder in 1993. She held that position until 1998 -- serving part of that time with then-Freeholder Chris Christie — and was unanimously elected freeholder director in 1994.

She chose to run for county clerk and won election easily three times before deciding not to run in 2013.

Visitors to her office couldn't help but notice the numerous photographs of her posing with national Republican leaders like Presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, former First Lady Barbara Bush, and Gov. Chris Christie.

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She was a member of the NJ Electoral College in 1988 and a delegate to the Republican National Convention for the presidential elections of 1988 and 1992.

She was known as a tireless campaigner, an avid networker and someone who could work with all kinds of people.

Bramhall also raised four children and then, for personal reasons, four grandchildren.

When she announced her retirement, said she she would deeply miss her staff but wanted to travel with her husband, John. She said she wouldn't be active in Republican politics though she wanted to attend an occasional event.

"And if I wake up and I'm still tired I can just roll back over instead of getting up at 6 a.m.," Bramhall said at the time.

After she announced her retirement, Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll, R-Morristown, and county Freeholder Douglas R. Cabana said that Bramhall was leaving a shining legacy of involvement in politics and civic activities in Morris County, besides being known for a vivacious and entertaining personality.

SEE PHOTO GALLERY:
Remembering Joan Bramhall http://dailyre.co/1okcr89

"She's always been effusive, eager, helpful, a great lady," Carroll said last year of Bramhall, who was a cheerleader at her alma mater, Boonton High School.

The county clerk, a position established by the Constitution like the sheriff and surrogate, records and preserves all county property records, issues passports, and is responsible for preparing, printing and distributing all ballots for elections in the county and certifying the results. Bramhall performed more than 2,000 weddings and civil unions.

Last year, county Administrator John Bonanni, who has known Bramhall for decades, credited the clerk for being a force in politics at a time when many women were not active in the party. For at least part of her stint as GOP chair, Bramhall was the only female among the 21 county Republican chairmen in the state.

"She emerged as such a strong political leader in what was at that time a man's world," Bonanni said last year.

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