Obituary of Charles R. Branaugh

Charles R. Branaugh, age 89, of Paris, TX and formerly of Yankton, SD passed away under hospice care on Monday, December 08, 2014, at the Clyde Cosper VA Center, Bonham, TX. Memorial services will be 10:30 AM, Monday, December 29, 2014 at First United Methodist Church, Yankton, SD with Rev. Ron Johnson officiating. Burial of cremated remains will be in the Yankton Cemetery with Military Gravesite Rites by South Dakota Army National Guard Honor Guard, Sioux Falls, SD and the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post #791 Honor Guard, Yankton, SD. Visitation will be one hour prior to service at the church. Charlie was born in Armour, South Dakota on March 18, 1925 to Ed and Faye Branaugh. He grew up on a farm in Charles Mix County and attended rural schools. He graduated from Armour High School in 1944. He married Betty Bails on April 28, 1947 in Vermillion and they had one son, Patrick. Charlie served in the Army during World War II from September 28, 1944 to November 25, 1946. He served in the Southwest Pacific Theatre on the Hawaiian Islands, Saipan, Okinawa, and the Philippine Islands. He was honorably discharged as a sergeant. Charlie was a member of the First United Methodist Church, The Senior Citizen Center, Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post #791 of Yankton, and a member of American Legion Post #12 of Yankton. He thoroughly enjoyed being a member of the VFW and was very active in it for more than fifty years, serving as Post Commander twice. He spent many volunteer hours at the VFW and was most appreciated as pancake maker at the pancake breakfasts and for making the best tavern meat in town for the soup kitchen. He also volunteered at the Senior Center and at his church. His most notable volunteer effort, however, was the 17 years that he spent delivering Meals on Wheels! He was a barber for more than fifty years and really enjoyed his customers coming into his shop. He loved duck hunting, pheasant hunting and fishing and later in life, golfing. Charlie was a fun loving guy and enjoyed life very much and had a close relationship with the Lord. He was dearly loved by his family, friends and neighbors and will be missed terribly. His memory is cherished by his son, Patrick and wife, Gail of Paris, Texas; two grandsons, Grant and wife, Tara and Andrew of Dallas, Texas; three great-grandchildren: Leighton, Kylie and Mia of Dallas, Texas; a sister, Gladys Hrdlicka of Armour, South Dakota; four brothers: Fred of Yankton, South Dakota; Billy and wife, Betty of California; Bobby of California and Tommy and wife, Carol of Kentucky; one sister-in-law, Thelma Branaugh of Yankton, South Dakota and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. His wife, Betty, two sisters, Frances Branaugh and Mae Cressy, one brother, James Branaugh and sister-in-law, Shirley Branaugh preceded him in death. Memorials are directed to the First United Methodist Church Building Fund, 207 West 11th Street, Yankton, South Dakota 57078.