George Hilton "Tony" Brannon

Mr. George Hilton "Tony" Brannon, 94, passed away peacefully on Saturday, December 6, 2025, surrounded by his family.
Funeral services will be held Friday, 2 PM, in the Wilkerson Funeral Chapel. Burial will follow the service in Pinewood Memorial Park. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 12:00 - 1:45 PM, at the funeral home.
Tony, son of the late Willie "Bill" and Lula Mae Brannon was a Pitt County native, and attended schools in Pactolus and Greenville; served in the U. S. Navy from 1948 to 1951; and was a veteran of the Korean conflict. He was employed by Carolina Dairies before joining the Greenville Fire Rescue in 1958 as a firefighter. After serving four years as a volunteer and being assigned part-time duty with the rescue squad, Brannon was promoted to the rank of Rescue Lieutenant in 1966. In 1969, Tony was promoted to Rescue Squad Captain, and then in 1976, he was promoted to Assistant Chief Greenville Fire Rescue.
Tony has been captain of several heavy-duty rescue and first aid teams that have taken top spots in state and international competitions.
Tony liked hunting, fishing and frog gigging. He also loved riding motorcycles, auto racing, and racing micro mini cars. He loved baseball and had won several medals with the Golden Gramps up to age 90. He loved tractors, and loved to cut grass up to the present day. He could rig up anything with duct tape and string. Tony also had a deep compassion for others. He was a Shriner who held the position of Captain First Aid at the Sudan Temple in New Bern, North Carolina.
In addition to his parents, Tony was preceded in death by his wife, Shelby Brannon; and siblings, Beulah Mae Conerly, William Lee "Dub" Brannon, Mary Lou Harris, Evelyn Jean Howell, and Ernest Brannon.
He is survived by his daughters, Vickie Dalton and husband, Ralph of Greenville, and Cindy Terra and husband, Rick of Norfolk, Virginia; son, Len Brannon and wife, Christie of Greenville; grandchildren, Erica Cayton and husband, Stacey, Cindy Green and husband, Bob, and Hunter Brannon; great-grandchildren, Hilton Cayton, Carson Green, and Alyssa Green; and a sister, Carol Brannon Adams.
Please consider memorial contributions in Tony's name to The Community Foundation of NC East (memo note: Greenville Firefighter's Benevolent Fund), PO Box 3985, Greenville NC 27836, or online at: www.cfnceast.org