Dr. Michael Laird Bramley

STOKESDALE - Dr. Michael Laird Bramley, 66, died Friday, Aug. 24, 2013, surrounded by family at his home in Stokesdale.
He was born on April 30, 1947, son of the late George Eric Bramley Sr. and Vivien Laird Bramley. Michael was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Richard A. Bramley Sr., of Wilmington.
Michael grew up in Alexandria, Va., where, in eighth grade, he met his wife, Sally Taylor Bramley, with whom he spent nearly 50 years of his life. He attended Washington and Lee University, where he graduated with honors in chemistry in 1969. He and Sally were married on July 12, 1969. He earned an M.D. from Yale University in 1973 and completed his internship and residency in pediatrics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1976, Michael became a partner of Greenville Pediatric Services in Greenville. He was one of the first pediatricians to care for infants in the fledgling neonatal intensive care program at ECU, eliminating the need to transfer severely ill children to UNC or Duke. Dr. Bramley practiced pediatrics for 32 years in Greenville, treating the children and sometimes even grandchildren of former patients. He was also an assistant clinical professor at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and served on the board of Atlantic Integrated Health, the Regional Credential Committee of CIGNA, the Medical Executive Committee of Pitt County Memorial Hospital, and the Physician Advisory Group of Blue Cross Blue Shield. He served for many years as an FAA medical examiner. In 2008, he moved to Forsyth Pediatrics in Oak Ridge and Kernersville, where he continued his service to others as an active and beloved pediatrician until his diagnosis with pancreatic cancer in May.
Michael was a man of tremendous energy and enthusiasm for learning new things. Despite a busy professional life, he always had time for his three children and four grandchildren. Through the years, he became an instrument-rated airplane pilot, kept bees, made stained glass, quilted with his wife, Sally, and enjoyed gardening, motorcycling, beer making and building things. He also played the piano and sang in the church choir for more than 30 years. In the last years of his life, he learned to play several new musical instruments and acted his first role in a community theater production.
He is survived by his wife, Sally; his daughters, Susan Thananopavarn and husband, Paul, of Chapel Hill and Anne Bauldry and husband, Mike, of Kernersville; son, Eric Bramley and wife, Anna, of Avondale Estates, Ga.; and grandchildren, Adrian, Claire and Eve Thananopavarn and Alex Bauldry. He also is survived by brothers, Jerry Bramley (Zan) of Wilmington and Bob Bramley (Felicia) of Woodland, Wash.; sister, Anne Clements (Buddy) of Fairfax, Va.; sister-in-law, BeGe Bramley of Wilmington; many nieces, nephews, in-laws and cousins; and good friends, Shelton "Chess" Chesson and wife, Margaret, of Farmville.
A memorial service will be held at Good Shepherd Moravian Church in Kernersville at 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31. Visitation with the family will be held before the service from 1-3 p.m. at the church. Memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Moravian Church at 1474 Kerner Road, Kernersville NC 27284. Hayworth-Miller Kernersville Chapel is assisting the family. Online condolences may be made to www.hayworth-miller.com.