Henry Edward Branch Jr.

Henry Edward Branch Jr., 92, passed away on August 8, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas, surrounded by a lifetime of memories and the legacy of a family he loved, supported, and provided for throughout his life.

Henry was born on December 10, 1933, in Soperton, Georgia to Henry Edward Branch Sr. and Sarah Clements Branch. An only child, Henry considered Brunswick, Georgia, his home and carried his love for Georgia and the stories of his childhood there with him throughout his life.

Henry attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree in 1956. Following graduation, Henry served for two years in the United States Army then later earned his Master Of Science degree from the University of Southern Mississippi before beginning a long career as a chemical engineer

In 1960, Henry moved to Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It was there, at Parkland Heights United Methodist Church, that he met Sidnita Yvonne Gerald, the woman who would become his wife and lifelong companion. Henry and Yvonne were married on March 12, 1961, beginning a marriage that would span more than 58 years.

Henry's career and growing family took them to several places over the years. Shortly after marrying Yvonne, his work transferred the couple to West Virginia and then to Augusta, Georgia where they adopted their twin sons, Curtis and Edward. In 1968, another transfer brought the family to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where they adopted their son Wylie.

In 1975, the Branch family moved to Nederland, Texas. Henry worked for Velsicol, later Sandoz, where he managed the formulation of products used for crop protection. His career suited a man who genuinely enjoyed understanding how things worked, solving problems, crunching numbers, and—perhaps most importantly—being certain that the numbers were correct.

Family was at the center of Henry and Yvonne’s lives, and their commitment to family was demonstrated again following the death of their son, Henry Edward Branch III, in 1990. Henry and Yvonne adopted Edward's children, Jacob Matthew Branch and Jacquelyn Lee Branch, welcoming their grandchildren into their home and raising them as their own son and daughter.

Henry was faithful, intelligent, generous, devoted, and famously strong-willed. He enjoyed gardening, genealogy, history, exercise, and anything that gave him an opportunity to learn how or why something worked. He grew muscadines and maintained a vegetable garden, loved researching his family's history, and could readily tell stories about growing up in Georgia.

He also enjoyed proving his point—and was rarely reluctant to correct someone when he believed they had gotten something wrong. Those who knew Henry understood that he had his own way of looking at the world and his own way of doing things. He walked to the beat of his own drum.

But beneath that independent spirit was a man deeply committed to his family and providing for those he loved were among the guiding principles of Henry's life. Perhaps his greatest legacy was the steadfast way he supported his children and granddaughter, helping them pursue their goals, encouraging their dreams, and doing what he could to give them opportunities to build lives of their own.

In 2019, Henry and Yvonne moved to Fort Worth, Texas, to be closer to their family. Later that year, after more than 58 years of marriage, Henry said goodbye to Yvonne when she passed away on December 26. Henry was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Sidnita Yvonne Branch; his son, Henry Edward Branch III; his son, Jacob Matthew Branch; his daughter, Jacquelyn Lee Branch; and his daughter-in-law, Jessie Marie Branch.

He is survived by his son, Curtis Sidney Branch of Port Arthur, Texas; his son, Wylie Eli Branch and wife, Angela Kay Branch, of Fort Worth, Texas; and his granddaughter, Sarah Alice Branch, of Fort Worth, Texas.

For those who knew and loved him, Henry Edward Branch Jr. will be remembered as a man who knew who he was. He was unapologetic about what he liked, what he believed, and how he chose to do things. By remaining true to himself, Henry built the life he wanted—and then generously shared that life with the people he loved.

A graveside service celebrating Henry's life will be held at 12:00 pm on Friday, August 14, 2026, at Palmetto Cemetery in Brunswick, Georgia.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Edo Miller and Sons Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the American Heart Association.