John Louis Bratcher

1934 - 2014

John Louis Bratcher, 80, passed away Sunday, July 20, 2014, in Arlington. Service: 10 a.m. Wednesday at Blessing Funeral Home. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Blessing. Memorials: in lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in memory of John and Shirley Bratcher to the Hawkins Cemetery Association, Box 173711, Arlington, Texas 76003. John was born June 3, 1934, in Handley, the son of Charlie Luther Bratcher and Annie Lackey Bratcher. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and retired from the USDA market administrators after many years. He married Shirley Boen on Oct. 16, 1953, at Tate Springs Baptist Church where they were both members. They loved to travel and garden. John was a master carpenter and could do anything. John was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Shirley Bratcher; grandson, Danny Johnson; and brothers, Ray and Al Bratcher. Survivors: Those left to celebrate his life are his sons, Randall W. Bratcher and wife, Jodi, of Odessa and Tracy L. Bratcher and wife, Jane, of Great Falls, Mont.; daughter, Denise Johnson and husband Donald of Bowie; grandchildren, Dyann Johnson and Dayna Johnson of Bowie; sister, Winnie Bentley of Burleson; and sister-in-law, Emogene Samuel of Mansfield.