Emily Branham
Emily Branham
Emily Carole Mays Branham, 83, Staunton, Virginia, went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Saturday, October 24, 2026. She was born on June 2, 1943, in Rockbridge County, Virginia the daughter of Ollie Farris Mays and Emily Beatrice Cash Mays. Emily was a member of the Copen Independent Baptist Church in Copen, West Virginia. She retired from Kroger in Gassaway, West Virginia after twenty-six years and was also a former Emergency Medical Technician and Girl Scout leader. She enjoyed sewing, baking, reading her Bible, taking leisurely drives, traveling, and vacationing at the beach. Above all, she cherished the time spent with her family. To those who knew and loved her, Emily will forever be remembered as a loving, kind, gentle, and godly woman. She is survived by Emily and Billy's five daughters, affectionately known as their "Branham Girls", Vanessa (JR) Wine, Candace (Dave) Blake, Lisa Branham, Tracy Branham (Jason), and Billie Jo (Daniel) Linger; her ten grandchildren, Angela (Bob) Fisher, Jessica (Todd) Lovett, Joshua (Aubrienna) Wine, Juan Dorado (Emily), Ashlie (John) Lagergren, Daniel Blake, Briana Blake (Katie), Dizzandra (Dravin) Linger-Gibson, Daniel Linger II, and Carlos Dorado (Taylor); her nineteen great-grandchildren, Haley and Bradyn Morris, Luke and Noah Lovett, Jocelyn, Jonah, Gracealyn, Samuel, and Jacob Wine, Savanna and Lexie Branham, William Alexander "Lex" and Cecilia Lagergren, Meadow Dorado, Landon and Riley Fisher, and Eric Jr. and Sarah Lopez, and Caleb Salazar, her two sisters Deanna "Denne" Smith and Julia Mays and her two brothers, Michael (Beth) Mays and Todd (Jan) Mays; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, family, and friends; and two devoted caregivers, Susie and Chuck Newman. Emily was preceded in death by her devoted husband and love of her life, William "Billy" Alexander Branham, Jr., who passed away on August 10, 2026. The two were united in marriage on June 2, 1961, and shared Sixty-Five wonderful years together. They enjoyed being together and were only separated for seventy-five days before being reunited in Heaven. Also preceding Emily in death were her two brothers, Ollie F. Mays, Jr. and Ralph E. "Eddie" Mays; her two sisters, Linda C. Sweet and Rebecca L. "Becky" Reiss; and her grandson, Nathan A. Branham. A funeral service for Emily will be held at 1:00 PM on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at Henry Funeral Home in Staunton with her pastor, Delmas Singleton officiating. The family will receive friends prior to the service beginning at 12:00 PM. Interment will immediately follow at Grant Cemetery on Irish Creek Road in Montebello. Henry Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.
