Virgil Hollis Brannon Jr.

Hollis was born on United Nations Day, October 24, 1945, in Greenport, Long Island. He was the eldest of three children born to Virgil Hollis Brannon, Sr. and Alice “Elizabeth” Brannon who preceded him in death.

He was raised in a loving and close-knit home filled with laughter, learning, and the simple joys of childhood — collecting coins and stamps, building and launching homemade rockets, and playing baseball, football, and the trombone.

A proud graduate of Riverhead High School, Hollis went on to study Chemical Engineering at Clarkson College of Technology, where his lifelong curiosity and passion of science flourished. He was also a dedicated member of the Boy Scouts of America, earning the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout at the age of sixteen. One of the highlights of his scouting years was attending the National Boy Scout Jamboree in Colorado, where he had the memorable honor of meeting President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Throughout his professional career, Hollis worked as an engineer in New Jersey and Maryland, admired by colleagues for his dedication, precision, work ethic and integrity. He was deeply passionate about his career, which opened doors to exciting opportunities for travel around the world. Hollis’ proudest accomplishment, however, was always his family—his children, Shawn, Rebecca, and Lorrie - and later, his beloved grandchildren and great grandchild, with whom he shared countless joyful moments. Hollis was an avid runner who proudly completed the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., three times.

In retirement, Hollis embraced life with energy and purpose. He found great joy in boating, traveling, and taking scenic drives in his beloved Corvette. An avid tennis player and cyclist, he remained active and adventurous throughout the years. A man of deep service, Hollis volunteered his time and talents to projects that made a real difference — from helping renovate the local volunteer center (houses volunteers who assist with rebuilding after natural disasters including Hurricane Florence) to providing free tax assistance through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

A devoted member of his faith community, Hollis served as an elder at his church and found great joy singing in the church choir. His faith, kindness, and generosity touched many lives. His legacy of service, compassion, and joyful living will be fondly remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Hollis is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Nevada and their three children, Shawn Brannon (Jennifer), Rebecca Spell (Myron) and Lorrie Gray (Scott). He was a devoted grandfather to eight grandchildren and a proud great-grandfather to one great-grandchild. He is also survived by his brother Stephen Brannon (Dorothy), and sister Nilah Flanders (Steve).

Hollis lived his life guided by a set of core values that defined his character and inspired those around him:

· Be content with who you are and where you are in life, knowing you've given your very best.

· Treat others the way you wish to be treated — the Golden Rule was a principle he lived by every day.

· No task was ever too small for excellence; he believed in giving his best effort in all things.

· Hold firm to the belief that hard work always pays off, and his life was a testament to that truth.

· Above all, he believed in himself — and encouraged others to do the same.

These values shaped not only how Hollis lived, but how he will be remembered: with admiration, gratitude, and deep respect.

The family will receive friends at Cotten Funeral Home, 2201 Neuse Boulevard, New Bern, NC from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.  Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM Thursday, October 23, 2025, at First Presbyterian Church, 400 New Street New Bern, NC. A reception will follow in the Session House of First Presbyterian Church.

Video of Hollis' service: https://firstpresbyteria-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/church_firstpresnb_org/EUniAKR4tWdOg0hVbTZm6LkBOo66SmsRxjD1ZFEwWJ0D7A?nav=eyJyZWZlcnJhbEluZm8iOnsicmVmZXJyYWxBcHAiOiJPbmVEcml2ZUZvckJ1c2luZXNzIiwicmVmZXJyYWxBcHBQbGF0Zm9ybSI6IldlYiIsInJlZmVycmFsTW9kZSI6InZpZXciLCJyZWZlcnJhbFZpZXciOiJNeUZpbGVzTGlua0NvcHkifX0&e=W5Dmen

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to one of the following organizations, which were dear to Hollis’ heart:

First Presbyterian Church P.O. Box 1069 New Bern, NC 28563 https://www.firstpresnb.org/give

Coastal Carolina Disaster Resiliency Agency, Inc. (CCDRA) 2011 Old Cherry Point Road New Bern, NC 28560 https://ccdranc.org/

Craven County Hospice P.O. Drawer 12610 New Bern, NC 28561 https://www.cravencountync.gov/1935/Contributions