Virginia Branson

VIRGINIA “JOYCE” BRANSON COURAGEOUSLY ENDURED A 52 MONTH STRUGGLE WITH CANCER THAT TOOK HER LIFE ON SUNDAY MORNING, AUGUST 24TH AT HER HOME IN GREENVILLE, NC. HER CHILDREN WERE AT HER SIDE. JOYCE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF ARTHUR RAY AND RESSIE MAE TERRY OF SWEETWATER; WIFE TO R. W. BRANSON OF PAINT ROCK; MOTHER TO CYNTHIA ANN BRANSON OF GREENVILLE, NC. AND ROBERT “BOB” WILLIAM BRANSON, JR. OF KNOXVILLE. FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS, JOYCE WORKED FOR DR. JOSEPH WILLIAMS AT HIS DENTAL PRACTICE IN HARRIMAN. LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS WERE FORGED WITH DENTISTS, CO-WORKERS AND COUNTLESS PATIENTS. SHE WAS A REMARKABLE WOMAN WHO TOUCHED THE LIVES OF SO MANY WITH SWEETNESS AND GRACE. A SPIRIT SO HUMBLE, SO GENTLE WAS BORN IN THIS WOMAN WHOSE LIFE WAS OFTEN FILLED WITH STRUGGLE, WITH SORROW AND WITH HEARTACHE. AND YET THESE TIMES CREATED IN HER A UNIQUE SENSE OF HUMOR, A PERSEVERANCE, AN IRON CLAD WILL AND AN UNDENIABLE STRENGTH THAT ALLOWED HER TO RISE ABOVE HER OWN CIRCUMSTANCES AND TO BLANKET THOSE AROUND HER WITH AN UPLIFTING GENTLENESS THAT WOULD HELP THEM SMILE THROUGH THE WORST OF TIMES. HER SMILE MADE ALL FEEL THAT THEY HAD BEEN KISSED BY AN ANGEL. HER LOVE OF LIFE, HER LOVE OF THE TENNESSEE RIVERS WAS SHADOWED ONLY BY HER LOVE OF THE OCEAN AND ITS BEACHES. WHEN ONE SEES THE OCEAN OR A LIGHTHOUSE -OR A BUTTERFLY – OR AN ANGEL, ONE SHOULD SMILE AND REMEMBER HER AND HER LOVE FOR THEM. JOYCE IS SURVIVED BY HER TWO CHILDREN AND DAUGHTER IN LAW ROSE, WHO FEEL PRIVILEGED TO HAVE CALLED HER “MOM”; BY ONE SISTER, EDNA MAE TERRY OF SWEETWATER; BY NUMEROUS NIECES, NEPHEWS AND COUSINS OF THE TERRY AND BRANSON FAMILIES; AND OF COURSE, COUNTLESS FRIENDS CO-WORKERS AND CHURCH FAMILIES OF CHAPMAN GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH AND GRASSY VALLEY BAPTIST CHURCH WHO WITNESSED HER INVINCIBLE FAITH. FUNERAL 1PM THURSDAY AUGUST 28, 2003 IN THE KYKER CHAPEL WITH REV. ADRIAN JONES, REV. RON STANSELL, AND REV. BRIAN JOHNSON. BURIAL WILL FOLLOW AT ROSE CEMETERY IN PAINT ROCK. THE FAMILY WELCOMES FLOWERS OR DONATIONS IN JOYCE’S NAME TO THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY WITH EQUAL APPRECIATION. THE FAMILY WILL RECEIVE FRIENDS FROM 5 UNTIL 8PM WEDNESDAY AT THE KYKER FUNERAL HOME IN KINGSTON.

Virginia Branson

August 24, 2003