Joshua Brannon Cain

He was born on June 15, 1996, in Birmingham, Alabama. A graduate of Indian Springs High School, he went on to attend the University of Alabama before enlisting in the United States Army.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Amantha (Amy) Cain; his two daughters, Ophelia and Elenore; parents, Patricia C. Wood (Dewayne) and John Michael Cain; brother, Jordan Champion; sister, Delana Wood; father-in-law, Jerry McClure; mother-in-law, Samantha Watson (Jody); brother-in-law, Brandon McClure; sister-in-law, Kyleigh McClure; grandparents, Jimmy and Molly Cain; niece and nephew, Leah and Lawson Champion; uncles, Michael Courington (Teresa) and Jimmy Courington (Dedria); and cousins, Anna (Andrew), Christopher, Hayley and Abbey. His dogs, Duke, Cheyanne, and Copper also survive him.

Preceding him in death are his grandparents, Looney Courington (Pop) and Pat Courington.

Josh was born a cowboy. His fondest memories were working cattle on the farm with Pop. Everyone around the small town of Thorsby, AL knew Josh. He dressed himself daily in a button-up shirt, jeans, cowboy boots, hat and gun belt. Even as an adult, when not wearing a required uniform, he continued his unique style including the usual greeting, “Howdy”, from age 2 until 27.

Josh learned to love and respect everything in nature from his Pop. Josh was allowed opportunities to farm, hunt, fish in ponds, lakes, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. His biggest fish was caught above the Continental Divide offshore North Carolina. But above all, he was happiest in the woods.

Josh’s gifted uniqueness allowed him to experience adventures at a very young age by reading books and recreating what he read with cardboard boxes, a collection of tiny farm and wild animals and traveling thousands of miles heading cattle drives or fighting bad guys on Ole’ Red, the rocking horse. Later, he lived his adventures by learning to ride horses at Hidden Creek Ranch and Applewood Stables. He learned to bull ride and rodeo from his idols then, his big brother, Jordan and his friend Austin. Josh was a contestant in the Dusty Bottoms Rodeos at Hidden Creek Ranch. Later, his adventures broadened through Duke TIP, traveling to four states for summer education programs and graduating from Indian Springs School.

We are so blessed to be able to share those adventures with Josh as a teenager. Josh became a big brother to Delana at 11 years old. She was his shadow. We never had to ask him to include her, he just did. He was young enough to use his amazing imagination to take her on so many adventures too. They fished, hunted, rode horses and loved every minute of it. As Delana became more involved with dance classes and competitive dance, he missed nothing. He was a constant in her life. He was the one that showed up for the Daddy-Daughter dances, traveled with us across the Southeast, showed up for everything Delana did and never once asked if he had to…He was her rock.

Joshua met Amy, the love of his life and the mother of his children, in 2016 while at Advance Individual Training at Fort Huachuca. They feel in love at first sight but did not admit their feelings for each other until February of 2017. Their first kiss was shared in an IHOP parking lot in a little Nissan Altima. From there they both made efforts to see each other despite the long distance between Amy’s duty station, Fort Bragg, NC and Josh’s home state of Alabama. In May of 2017, Amy and Josh discovered they were expecting their first child. Josh immediately moved to North Carolina, and they eloped on June 17, 2017. Even though Josh is a strong man, he is also a very kind and gentle soul. Always loving and romantic when he can be. Josh’s children are Ophelia Annabelle Cain and Elenore Lee Cain, born January 13, 2018, and September 26, 2019. Josh wanted to show his children and anyone who would listen the beauty of nature. He had a love for agriculture and animals that he passed on to his children. Ophelia and Elenore both love cows just as Josh did. Though Josh is not here physically, he is not completely gone from us. He lives on in our hearts and minds. Ophelia and Elenore both know their daddy is looking down on them from heaven and can hear when they tell him they love him.

Josh is a loving father, husband, brother, son, grandson, and nephew. Many knew him as a friend and mentor. He had a drive to see those around him do better for themselves. Whether he was teaching outdoor skills or sitting with new hunters in a deer blind, he guided young men. He had many late-night talks laden with quotes from old westerns about school, work, whatever was ailing him or his friends. Josh was like the older brother many of his friends needed to help them though their late teens and twenties. He was a bright, principled, hardworking young man who touched the lives of many everywhere he went. We are all blessed that God made our paths cross. We all only wish that we had more time to share with him.

Some of the proudest moments were watching Josh, as a dad, sharing his love for the outdoors and nature, horseback riding with all of his littles, including Ophelia, Elenore and his favorite niece and nephew, Leah and Lawson at Applewood.

Shackleford Island was also such a great adventure for little Ophelia, Leah, Delana and Pop. Ophelia loved going tracking and hunting with Daddy and both girls loved being outside learning to fish and about nature. He was saved and shared his love for Jesus with his girls. He would call home most Sunday mornings sharing the message he received from Cowboy Church.

Josh shared his happy place with the many friends made while at Fort Bragg. He enjoyed sharing his vast knowledge of keeping balance in this world while exposing them, some for the first time in their adult lives, to hiking, survival skills, sustainable living, hunting and fishing. His friend group remains connected and group-called most every night. They were looking forward to an annual hike this month in North Carolina. Joshua was already preparing his gear.

Joshua’s life can’t be summed up. Josh was unique. God broke the mold after creating him. He was beautiful, inside and out. He was a polite, caring, compassionate, loving son, husband, father, brother, grandson and friend. He was a man, unlike most today, a man with a soul from decades ago. He was wise beyond his years and had struggles like most children do. He was an overcomer, ambitious man that dedicated his life to protecting what matters most, God’s creation, family, country and our constitutional rights. He was a wonderful son, best friend, and his mother’s golden boy. He loved his “mommer”. He will never be forgotten by anyone that knew him.

Donations to organizations to prevent veteran suicide and those that aide with solider transition to civilian world. Send letters to legislation to change current barriers to reacclimating from service and also mental health mandatory check in's for newly discharged veterans.