Burnie Lee Braxton left for his eternal home on Wednesday, June 27, 2018. He was 88. Burnie was born February 20, 1930, to Julian and Oneta Phillips Braxton, and was the 5th of 7 children.
He, and his wife, Elizabeth Grace Stroud Braxton, were married for 58 years upon her death in 2011. Born during the Great Depression and then losing his father to death in 1939, Burnie knew what it was to do without and to have to work hard. He dropped out of school to help provide for his family, but he was one of the smartest men we ever knew.
There wasn’t much he couldn’t do, even if it wasn’t always to perfection. After 2 years in the US army, in 1955 Burnie returned to Kinston and immediately began working for Mr. Bob Poovey at Kinston Wheel Aligning Service. He worked hard and eventually, in 1967, became the sole owner.
He continued to work there until his health no longer allowed him to do so, but his hand was still in the decisions and daily operations of the business until his final breath. He loved what he did! Not many people can say that.
Burnie was a charter member of Westside FWB Church, but was attending Liberty Baptist Church in Snow Hill with his buddy, Marvin, until his health was an issue. He was preceded in death by his wife, Grace, his siblings, Lillian Mason, JB Braxton, Elizabeth Smith, Ned Braxton, and Roy Braxton, and his son-in-law, Leslie Stanley. Left to cherish his memory are his daughters, Sharon Braxton Stanley, and Debbie Braxton Norville and husband Robbie, his granddaughter, Stacey Stanley Wiggins and husband Mike, and grandson, Will Cameron Norville, his great-granddaughter, Lesley Elizabeth Wiggins, and his great-grandson, Timothy Michael Wiggins, his sister, Peggy Braxton Casey, his sister-in-law, Margaret Stroud Phillips, his buddies, Marvin Edwards and Mel Woodard, along with Bill Olsen whom he considered a son and is the right hand of Kinston Wheel Aligning.
All are welcome to attend the burial at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 1st at Pinelawn Memorial Park and the Celebration of Life service afterward at 4 p.m. at Grace Fellowship Church, 327 Academy Heights Rd. , Kinston, with an informal time of greeting and fellowship to follow in the Gathering Hall. At other times, the family will receive friends at 815 Westminster Lane, the home he had shared with his daughter, Sharon, for the past 9 months.
The family would like to thank 3HC Home Health and Hospice Care for their kind and compassionate care, especially his nurse Gwen Waters and his personal care assistant, Lois Spencer. We’d also like to thank Grace Grant for assisting us in Daddy’s caregiving and for your love and friendship.
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