Walter Hanes "Walt" Brakefiled

WALTER'S STORY
Walter Hanes Brakefield was born on October 7, 1916, in Red Star, AL, the sixth of eight children and first son of Andrew and Annie Brakefield. Following his father's trade as a coal miner, the family moved to Harlan County, Kentucky, where Walt attended school, graduating in 1933 at the age of 16. Having worked part time in the coal mines as a student, he became a full time miner upon graduation. While enjoying his passion for dancing, he met a young lady, Irma Crouch, the daughter of the local doctor, who became his bride on October 3, 1936. The young couple began their married life in Evarts, where Walt continued his coal mining career until World War II intervened. Walt volunteered for the Army Air Corps and was sent to England, where he served from 1943-45. He was part of the flight crew on a B-17 Flying Fortress, serving as the mechanic and manned a gun for twenty-five bombing missions over Germany, surviving two enemy hits on his aircraft, the Lovable Lass. While Walt was away serving his country, Irma did her duty in the homeland, working in the factories in Detroit that were converted to the war effort.
Back in the States, he returned to coal mining in Kentucky. After thirteen years of marriage, the Brakefields became parents when Wally James was born on October 21, 1949, followed quickly by Gary Hanes on November 10, 1950. Expressing his desire to remove his two young sons from the lure of the coal mines, he and Irma relocated to Manassas, Virginia, in 1952. He purchased and operated a small country store located adjacent to the family home. In order to provide more financial stability for his family, he become a correctional officer at Lorton Federal Penitentiary, serving there until his retirement in the mid 1970s. He also worked in the produce department at the local A&P to save for his sons' college educations. Meanwhile, he found time to serve as a Little League baseball coach and a Boy Scout leader, as well as Deacon, cemetery caretaker, and music leader at Woodbine Baptist Church. The family often travelled to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and to Florida to visit his parents and siblings and to Kentucky to visit Irma's family.
After his retirement, he moved to Erwin, Tennessee, where his sisters Pauline and Dorothy resided, and nearer to his brother James in nearby Boone, NC. While in Tennessee, he returned to work at the local nuclear plant to assist Gary in his return to school at the University of Georgia School of Law. Walt and Irma travelled to visit family and camping around the southeast. By the mid 1980s, with both of his sons in Atlanta and the arrival of his first grandchildren, Travis (Wally) and Alex (Gary) in September of 1983, he and Irma purchased a small second home in Atlanta, where they spent part of each year. Irma soon decided that she wanted to be in Atlanta full-time to be with her children and grandchildren, so they built a home and settled at the Norris Lake community in Snellville, closely coinciding with the birth of Wally's daughter, Taylor, his first and only granddaughter in March of 1988. The final grandchild arrived with the birth of Gary's second son, Evan, in March of 1993. These years were filled with many happy times of playing with and caring for grandchildren and hosting family gatherings at their home. Unfortunately, Irma's health declined, and she became mostly homebound, aided by Walt's unfailing care until her death in January, 1995.
Later that year, Walt began to socialize with some of the members of his church, Riverview Baptist, near his neighborhood, and became better acquainted with one of his fellow members, Elma McDaniel, who had moved to Atlanta from Mississippi to be near her own grandchildren. In January of 1996, at the age of 79, Walt married Elma, with both of their extended families present. Meanwhile, Walt had also travelled back to Erwin regularly to assist Jim and Dottie with the care of their sister Polly who was battling cancer. Walt and Elma began to travel that year, with an abrupt interruption when Elma suffered an aneurism in the journey to meet Walt's family and was hospitalized for an extended period in Johnson City, Tennessee. With Walt at her side, whispering encouragement, Elma recovered to return to Georgia for rehabilitation and recovered to return to their home. They travelled extensively with their friends to Branson, Pigeon Forge, and many other places, and participated in the N(ever) T(oo) O(ld) Club of seniors in their area, where they made many lasting friendships. Unfortunaltely, Elma's health also declined, resulting in her death in 2005. Walt spent the next two years assisting and caring for his sister Dottie, who had relocated to Atlanta, until her death in 2007.
His caretaking duties completed, Walt joined a senior Christian choir and travelled around to nursing homes and other senior facilities, bringing cheer to the ill and infirm, many of whom were many years younger than he. Growing tomatoes in his yard, serving as a Deacon at Riverview, NTO events, and dominoes filled his social calendar. Ever a devout and faithful Christian, he rarely missed church services or activities and read through the Bible at least twice per year. Having begun saving accounts for all his grandchildren when they were just days old, their Big Daddy watched proudly as they went off to college and began families of their own. He became a great grandfather to Kaleigh when Alex married her mother in 2010. He continued to drive and enjoy his daily activities until April of this year.
Since he fell illl, Walt's friendship and generosity to his family and friends has been reflected in their loving support and prayers. With his passing, another hero of the Greatest Generation has left our midst. His positive outlook on life, playful smile, extended hand of friendship and generosity and insightful wisdom will be our loss and heaven's gain.
He was preceded in death by his parents and seven siblings. He is survived by his son Wally of Snellville, son and daughter –in-law Gary and Cathy of Blue Ridge, grandchildren Alex and Dana Brakefield of McDonough, Travis Brakefield of Missoula, Montana, Dallan and Taylor Brakefield Apadaca of Riverton, Wyoming, and Evan Brakefield of Athens. Nieces and nephews and a host of friends also survive.