Extracted from The Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL)
Sunday, September 11, 2005

Hearl Adkin Branch Jr.

Funeral services for Hearl Adkin, Jr., 59, will be held at 10 A.M. Tuesday in the chapel of George H. Hewell and Son Funeral Home, 4140 University Boulevard, South, with Rev. Mitch Etheridge, officiating. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery. A loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend, he was the oldest son of Hearl Adkin Branch, Sr. and Orilla Mae Gray. Born January 9, 1946 in Fernandina Beach, FL, Mr. Branch died Thursday, September 8, 2005 at his home. Raised in St. Mary's Georgia, Mr. Branch graduated from Georgia Southern University in 1970. He retired from Blue Cross-Blue Shield after 29 years of service. He was a member of Crown Point Baptist Church and enjoyed golf, fishing, football, baseball, and card games as well as coaching softball and baseball.

Survivors include his loving wife of 31 years, Mrs. Karen E. Branch; children, Christine Branch Hutchinson, Jason Hearl Branch and his fiancee Sara Berens, and Kimberly Michelle Branch; brothers, Arthur, Luther, and Brian; a sister, Jeanette Branch (Leon) Dyal; grandchildren, Robert and Rebecca Hutchinson; an aunt, Bonese Gray; beloved cousins, Sharon E. and husband Henry Mathis, and Susie Gray; several nieces and nephews; extended family, Steve and Lyn Cochran; Steve and Jackie Stalvey and children, Tom and Judy Walters and family, and Larry Harrison.

The family will receive friends from 6 P.M. until 8 P.M. on Monday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to the Shriner's Hospital For Children, P.O. Box 16039, Jacksonville, FL 32245, who were so helpful to Mr. Branch with his childhood experience with Polio, or to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257.