Ralph Junior Bratton

RALPH JUNIOR BRATTON, age 70, of Bel Air, died at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center on August 9, 2004. Born in Friese, Virginia, he was the son of the late Raby James and Elsie Stella Smith Bratton. In 1940, he moved to Maryland from Virginia with his parents and siblings and they all worked on Tharpe’s farm in Bel Air. While he was raising and supporting his own children he split firewood, worked at Tharpe and Greene Mill, helped build Southampton School while he worked for Aberdeen Masonary, and worked at Harry T. Campbell Inc. In his later years he suffered with a long term illness.

Mr. Bratton is survived by seven sons, Thomas Edward Bratton of Conowingo; Ralph Junior Bratton, Jr. of Aberdeen; Freddie Lee Bratton of Jacksonville, Florida; Rickie Dean Bratton of Whiteford; John Wayne Bratton of Havre de Grace; Donald Ray Bratton of Rising Sun; Jeffery Scott Bratton of Aberdeen; two brothers, James Wayne Bratton of Bel Air; Gerald Lee Bratton of Chase; four sisters, Peggy Ann Parsons of Edgewood; Ruby Mae Gaddis of Dublin; Betty Jo Kirk of Edgewood; Joyce Marie Hooker of Abingdon; 13 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by two brothers, Bobby William Bratton; Clinton Sheffy Bratton and one granddaughter, Brianna M. Bratton.