Bobby Watson Brawley

Dr. Brawley was born on a farm in Iredell County, July 2, 1934, the youngest son of Pressley Bell Brawley, Sr. and Florence Watson Brawley of Mooresville. He was preceded also in death by his brother, Pressley B. Brawley, Jr. and his sister, Betty Gail Pitts.

After graduation from Landis High School, he went on to complete both undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Brawley was a resourceful surgeon who made lasting contributions to the science and craft of neurosurgery. Early in his career, as an academic neurosurgeon at the University of Florida, University of Washington, and the Medical College of Virginia at Richmond, he discovered a previously unknown factor in regulation of blood flow to the brain. This achievement garnered the attention of the international scientific community and was influential far outside of his laboratory—in his quiet way his colleagues would be more likely to hear about this through medical journals than through Bob.

He moved to Charlotte with his family in 1971 to join the Charlotte Neurosurgical Associates as its third physician, and he practiced there for nearly three decades. During this time, he was involved in developing surgical methods to prevent stroke, and he devised a unique means of shunting blood to the brain while its main arteries were repaired. For years this operation was controversial, but Bob continued his work. By the time it became a proven standard of care, many hundreds of his patients had been spared disability and death.

Bob Brawley was gifted with a gentle spirit, present and caring to all those he knew. He cherished his family and friends, near and far. He was deeply curious about the world: he studied flowers, trees, birds, stars; he farmed and gardened; he crisscrossed the country in his private plane. He also delighted in simple things. His laugh was contagious and surprising. He will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.

A service of remembrance and celebration will be held at 4 p.m., Saturday, June 20, at Myers Park Baptist Church, with the Reverends Chrissy Williamson and Joseph Aldrich officiating. The family will receive friends, at the Church’s Heaton Hall, following the service.

Bob Brawley is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Eleanor Riggins Brawley; their two children, Lisa Brawley, and her husband Samuel Speers of Rhinebeck, NY and Diana Brawley, and her husband Neal Magee of Charlottesville, VA. Honorary pallbearers will be Bob Brawley’s three grandchildren, Dare Anne, Nathaniel Everett and Lydia Grace.

The family requests, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his name to The UNC Medical Foundational of North Carolina at medicalfoundationofnc.org.