Col. Virgil Bratton

Col. Virgil E. Bratton Jr. , Civil Air Patrol (Ret.) died Monday, March 8, 2010 at Rockingham Manor. A memorial service in celebration of his life will be at Park Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1916 Park Ave., Rockingham on Saturday, March 13, at 2:30 p.m. The family will receive friends at the church following the service. Born on July 19, 1922 in Licking County, OH, to Virgil E. Bratton, Sr. and Mary Eva Bratton, Virgil moved to Richmond County after he married Pearl McDonald in 1942. He was a member of 94th Infantry Division in WWII and received the Purple Heart. He worked as an auto mechanic and later headed the MDTA/CETA vocational training program of Richmond Community College. He was a founding member of the Rockingham Civil Air Patrol squadron (Colonel and Squadron Commander), Park Avenue Presbyterian Church, and the Richmond County Purple Heart Chapter. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Pearl McDonald Bratton, and three children, Ginny Moore and husband Jimmie Moore, Linda Hensley and husband Joe Hensley, and Bob Bratton and wife JoAnn Bratton; his grandchildren, Pam Wildes and husband Alan Wildes, Kamara Carpenter and husband, Scott Carpenter, Joe Hensley, Jr. and wife Sarah White, Sam Hensley and wife Erin Hensley, Ashley Bratton and husband Jason Atwell, and Andy Bratton; his great-grandchildren, Jackson Wildes, Anabelle Wildes, Haley Carpenter, Alex Carpenter, Lucy Hensley, and Stella Hensley. He is also survived by a sister, Vivian Levine of West Palm Beach, FL. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Park Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1912 Crescent Drive, Rockingham, NC 28379.