Mr. Vance Wells Brabham III

A memorial service celebrating his life will be held on Friday, July 6, 2012, at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church, with Pastor Neil Dunnavant officiating. The family will receive friends in the Virginia Gilmer Room at First Presbyterian Church following the service. A private burial service will be conducted for the family at Green Hill Cemetery preceding the memorial service.

Mr. Brabham was born in Mullins, South Carolina and grew up in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He was the son of the late Dr. and Mrs. Vance Wells Brabham, junior. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics in 1962 from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. Mr. Brabham served two years active duty in the United States Navy. He began his professional career as Branch Manager of First National Bank in Charleston, South Carolina. He married Jane Wariner Golden in 1968. He joined Ralph J. Golden Insurance Agency in 1968 and became president of the incorporated agency, Golden-Brabham Insurance Agency, Inc., in 1970. After 25 years, he retired and sold the agency. He thereafter came out of retirement and was first the finance and insurance manager and later the commercial sales manager at Green Ford, from which he retired in 2008.

Mr. Brabham is survived by his wife of 44 years, Jane, his two sons, Dr. Vance Wells Brabham IV of Greensboro, and his wife Katie, and Ralph Golden Brabham, Esq., of Washington, D.C., and his husband Andrew Ray Porterfield III, and two grandchildren, Hayes Wariner Brabham and Vance Wells Brabham V. He is survived by three sisters, Mrs. Perrin Thompson DesPortes, Susan, and husband Perrin, Mrs. William Ratliffe Curlee, Nan, and husband Bill, and Mrs. Cleckley Brabham Stroman, Cleck, and one sister-in law Mrs. James Gaston Huckabee III, Reba, and husband Jim. He is also survived by nieces and nephews Perrin Thompson Desportes, junior, and wife Lucy, William Allen DesPortes and wife Kathy, William Ratliffe Curlee, junior, Wells Brabham Curlee, Susan Shawn Stroman, Dawn Elizabeth Stroman, James Gaston Huckabee IV and wife Emmy, and Laura Wariner Huckabee.

Past affiliations of Mr. Brabham include the Greensboro Country Club, the Kiwanis Club, two term Chairman of the Boys Club Board of Directors, Salvation Army Board member for many years, Usher at the First Presbyterian Church, and member of the Young Men’s Bible Class. Mr. Brabham attended weekly a Men’s Bible Study led by John Willett of Search Ministries. He loved his family, his friends, golf, and reading.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro, 617 N. Elm Street. Greensboro, North Carolina, 27401, Search Ministries, 1852 Pembroke Road, Greensboro, North Carolina, 27408, or The ALS Association Jim "Catfish" Hunter Chapter, 120 Penmarc Drive, Suite 101, Raleigh, North Carolina 27603.