Cornelius Leroy Branson
January 11, 1924 ~ June 4, 2015
Cornelius “Corny” L. Branson, 91, Sioux Falls, died Thursday, June 4, 2015, at the VA Hospital in Sioux Falls.
Family Visitation will be 2-4pm, Sunday, June 7, 2015, at Heartland Funeral Home, with a short prayer service at 3pm. Funeral services will be 1:30pm, Monday, June 8, at Heartland Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Sioux Falls with Full Military Rites.
Cornelius Leroy Branson was born in Sioux Falls, January 11, 1924, to Hartley and Anna (Mathieu) Branson. He attended and graduated Eighth Grade from Whittier in Sioux Falls. When he turned 18, he joined the US Army and served in WWII with General Patton’s supply group known as the “Red Ball Express” in Germany and France. Corny returned to Sioux Falls and married Beverly Mae Burcham on November 3, 1946. Four children were born to this union. He went to work for John Morrell first and then to Dakota Byproducts for over 42 years before retiring. Being a workaholic, Corny couldn’t sit still. He went back to work part-time at John Morrell, lawn services, and construction.
Corny worked hard all of his life but he liked to have fun too. He always wanted to make sure the kids and Bev were taken care of and provided for. Fishing and hunting in the early years, or watching TV/movies with a bowl of popcorn, were all ways he liked to take it easy. Lawrence Welk, dancing, and roller-skating also occupied Beverly and Cornelius’ time. His funny side and sense of humor will be remembered with teasing or by his catch phrase, “I don’t have time for that!”
Cornelius will be deeply missed by his children Al (Vallerie) Branson, John Branson, Gene (Joyce) Branson and Aleta Branson of Sioux Falls; three grandchildren, Deanna, Geoffery (Brittany) and Derick; four great-grandchildren, David, Dawson, Brayden, and Paeton; one brother, Don (Gwen) Branson, Brandon and sister-in-law, Jeanette Branson; special nieces Kristy Myers-Boland and Ashley Boland; and friend of the family, Francine Oliver as well as many nieces and nephews.
Cornelius was preceded in death by his parents, Hartley and Anna (Mathieu) Branson, his wife of fifty years, Beverly (Burcham) and two siblings, Bud Branson and Darlene Langdon.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established.
My sympathies to all the family on Mr. Branson’s passing. He was a delightful gentleman that I was privileged to meet a year ago when a group from the Good Samaritan Society National Campus did some work on his deck, yard, front door and bathroom.
We were blessed to have met and served him. May God grant him eternal rest!
Bill Kubat
So very sorry to all for the loss of a great soul and would like to thank Mr Branson for giving so much of himself to serve this Country and give people like me the opportunity to enjoy it. RIP always and forever.