The funeral service for Willis John Branton Sr., age 87, of Huntsville, will be today, February 1, 2015, at 3 p.m. at McConnell Funeral Home with Ray Blankenship officiating. Visitation was Saturday, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Athens City Cemetery.
Mr. Branton passed away January 29, 2015, at Tut Fann State Veterans Home. He was born October 3, 1927, in Sandusky, Michigan to Charles Eugene Branton and Jenny Phillips Branton.
Mr. Branton was a World War II Navy veteran, and he was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Dearborn, Michigan.
He is survived by three sons, Bill Branton Jr. and wife, Darlene, of Athens, Jim Branton and wife, Penny, of Macomb, MI, Pete Branton and wife, Connie, of Chattanooga, TN; one daughter, Joann Clark and husband, Robert, of Danville; one brother, Donald Branton, of Hurst, TX; one sister, Mary Rich, of Greenville, MI; ten grandchildren, Daniel Branton, Andy Branton, Billy Branton, Jim Branton Jr, Jennifer McCann, Katlin Branton, Joshua Branton, Hannah Branton, Allison Morris, and Jonathan Clark; numerous great-grandchildren; and his Tut Fann Family.
Mr. Branton was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Dorothy Newby Branton; one brother, Eugene Branton; three sisters, Elenor Schaffer, Wanda Rickett, and Nina Dinklacher.
