Irvin Joseph Branson

Services: A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, March 21, 2005 at Holy Angels Catholic Church, Avenue, MD with Msgr. John Brady officiating. Interment will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Bushwood, MD. Visitation: Public visitation will be held in the funeral home on Sunday, March 20, 2005 from 2 - 5 PM with prayers being said at 3:00 PM. Irvin Joseph "Chick" Branson, Sr., 86, of Abell, MD died March 15, 2005 in St. Mary's Hospital. Born March 15, 1919 in Philadelphia, PA he was the son of the late Margaret E. and John H. Branson. He was the loving husband of Elnora V. Branson whom he married in Holy Angels Catholic Church on January 5, 1947. He is survived by his children: John H. Branson, Vernon T. Branson and Stacey L. Branson all of Abell, MD, Irvin J. Branson, Jr. of Chaptico, MD, Otho M. Branson of Ft. Washington, MD, Joyce A. Smith of Woodbridge, VA and Margaret E. Hall of Lexington Park, MD; 15 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Mr. Branson was a life long St. Mary's County resident where he worked as a laborer until his retirement in 1971. He served in the U.S. Navy for 2 years and received an Honorable Service Label Button and an Honorable Discharge Button. The family will receive friends on Sunday, March 20 from 2:00 â?? 5:00 PM in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home where prayers will be said at 3:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, March 21 at 10:00 AM in Holy Angels Catholic Church with Msgr. John Brady officiating. Interment will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Eugene O. Smith, Jr., Irvin J. Branson, III, Dwayne E. Branson, Gary I. Branson, Marlon Carter and Calvin Butler. Honorary Pallbearers will be Leroy Hall, Keith Young and Vernon Branson, Jr.