James W. "Slats/Jim" Branch Sr., 93, of Orange, Texas, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, March 2, 2013.
Funeral services will be 2pm, Wednesday, March 6, 2013, at Faith United Methodist Church in Orange. Officiating will be Reverend Tony Hoefner. Entombment will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens.
Visitation will be from 5pm to 7pm, Tuesday, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange.
Mr. Branch was born on January 8, 1920, in Crocket, Texas to James and Beulah Ford Branch. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School. After graduation he enlisted in the United States Army, where he served 5 years during WWII. It was during this time that he married the love of his life, Violet LeBlanc in 1942, in New Orleans, LA. After his discharge from the army, they settled in Orange, Texas where they raised their three children. James retired from DuPont SRW in 1982. He was a member of Faith United Methodist Church.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his twin sister, Mildred Garrett; brother in law, Morgan Garrett; his foster parents, Willis and Rosa Whitaker; and their son, Billy of Port Arthur, Texas.
He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Violet L. Branch; his children Jim Jr. and wife Dianne, Randy and wife Jane, Holly Dickson and husband Mike; grandchildren, Misty Bellow and husband Ricky, April Cunningham and husband Robert, Tracie Parzen and husband Jeremy, Jason Branch and wife Angela, Justin Branch and wife Kalei; and 7 great grandchildren with one still on the way.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Faith United Methodist Church; 8608 MLK Dr., Orange, Texas 77632 or Wesley United Methodist Church at P.O. Box 2187, Orange, Texas 77630.