Richard “Rick” Ernest Brailey Jr.

Richard "Rick" E. Brailey, Jr. of Lawrence, MI passed away Friday, March 28, 2025, with his family by his side and the song "Brighter Side of Grey" by Five Finger Death Punch playing in the background. Rick was born on March 10, 1970, to Richard and Linda Brailey, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The family lived in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Tennessee, where Rick met the members of the band Tora Tora. Rick lived out at "the farm" for a period of time with his Aunt Sherie, Grandma Jean and "Gramps" (Grandpa Jim) where he learned to hunt, fish and appreciated the outdoors. He met his future wife Amy in 1992 at a friend's wedding. He told her that first day that he had two kids, Erika and Ricky, and that they were a package deal. Amy said it was his smile that hooked her from the start. They would eventually marry on September 1, 2001.

Rick went on to operate his own lawn care service for years, while also finding time to enjoy life outside of work. In his younger years, he spent a lot of time roller skating at Rollerworld and ended up working there for a short time prior to his diagnosis. He often told the owner and boss, that Rollerworld saved him from being too much of a "knucklehead". He loved hunting with Gramps and shot a 10-point buck, as well as a 32 lb turkey which both hang on the living room wall. While he liked hunting deer, his real love became hunting "turkey birds" as he called them. He even invented a product called the Turkey Sling'r and went to Louisiana to pitch the idea to a large hunting product company.

In 2016, Rick found his true calling when he became a Paw Paw to Grace and in 2022 to Carson. In the winter when he wasn't mowing, he and Grace spent the day together playing and napping. When Gamma Amy came home after work, they had many dance parties and watched "The Wizard of Oz" and "Willy Wonka". Their bond was cemented from the day she was born. He eventually became her softball coach and they would practice hitting and throwing every chance he had with her. He got Grace into roller skating, and she also became part of the Rollerwold family. She and Rick were a couple of "Rink Rats". He couldn't wait to do the same with Carson.

Surviving Rick is his mother Linda Ringleka (Chuck Prager step-father) ; dad, Ron (Michelle) Ringleka; wife, Amy (Bearden); children, Erika (Sierra) Kellogg, Ricky (Victoria) Brailey; grandchildren, Grace Brailey, Carson Brailey; siblings, Ronda Henderson, Robin (Steven) Kottke, Jamie Middleton, Michael (Rachel) Middleton; sisters-in-law, Kathleen (Bob Miller) Bearden, Jacquelynn (Jesse) Phillipps; mother-in-law Angie Bearden (father-in-law Larry - deceased); Aunt, Sherie (Mike) Middleton; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a very large extended family. He is preceded in passing by his Father, Richard Brailey.

Rick fought bravely for the last four months of his life. During this time, he charmed the many nurses who cared for him during some of the worst moments of his life. The family is extremely grateful for the nursing and PCA staff at Bronson Methodist hospital. He truly loved them, and they loved him back, many of them checking on him in the ICU and leaving written messages of love and hope on the board in his room.

Friends are welcome to join the family for visitation on Wednesday April 9, 2025, from 2pm to 7pm, at Langeland Family Funeral Homes Burial and Cremation Services, 3926 South 9th Street, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49009. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, PO Box 22324, New York, New York 10087; National Bone Marrow Association, 500 N. Fifth Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401, or by donating blood in Rick's memory. To view Rick's personalized guestbook, please visit https://www.langelands.com