Alfred L. Branch, Jr.

Alfred (Al) Lee Branch, Jr. passed away peacefully at his home on the morning of Thursday, June 14, 2018 in Granbury, TX at the age of 69. Graveside service: 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 19, 2018 in Ryan Chapel Cemetery in Diboll, TX. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, June 18, 2018 at Wiley Funeral Home in Granbury.
Al is survived by his wife, Anita Branch, children Lori Peterson, Lee Branch, Matt and Amber Branch, along with his two sisters, Carolyn Brooks, Pat Cook and grandchildren, Bryce, Gwendolyn, AnnMarie, Lindsay, Maddie, and Corbin Branch, along with Nicole and Nina Peterson.
He is preceded in death by his father Alfred Lee Branch, Sr., mother Mattie Mae Branch, and wife Janice Lorene Branch.
Al was born at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Houston, TX to parents Alfred Lee, Sr. and Mattie Mae. He met his first wife and high school sweetheart, Janice Barrett through the marching band at Galena Park High School. Once married Jan and Al moved to College Station, TX where Al graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University.
While attending college, he and Janice had their first child, Lori Peterson Branch.
After graduation, the family of three moved to Fort Worth, TX where Al began his 40 year career with the Corps of Engineers. During his first year of work, Janice and Al had their second child, Alfred Lee Branch, III.
With their family expanding, they moved to Burleson, TX and had their third child, Matthew Parker Branch, followed by Amber Michelle Branch a year later.
In 1980, the family of six moved to Walnut Creek, California to obtain his Masters of Geotechnical Engineering from University of California Berkley. Al graduated, with honors at the top of his class in 1981.
Al moved his family back to Burleson, TX where he continued to work for the Corps of Engineers. As his career advanced he began working at the Corps Division offices in Dallas and then to Corp of Engineers Headquarters in Washington D.C. In 1998, while working in D.C. he lost Janice to a long battle with lupus and cancer.
As his career continued to progress, he met Anita Wickline, Virginia Tech educated Geotechnical Engineer, who worked for the Corp in their Huntington, West Virginia office. Al and Anita, sharing a common love of engineering, outdoors, cats, and family quickly fell in love and wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.
On June 3, 2000, Al and Anita were married at Southeast Church of Christ Houston TX with his mother Maddie Mae, sister Carolyn, children Lori, Lee, Matt and Amber, along with his first grandchildren, Bryce and Gwendolyn Branch.
Al and Anita lived in Kentucky where Al eventually retired from his job as the Chief of Engineering – Construction Division in Huntington, West Virginia.
Upon retiring, he and Anita moved to Granbury, TX where they, along with their cat Tucker, designed and created their dream home where they lived happily for 15 years.
In 2005 Al was called back to work after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast; his expertise would be crucial in the levee rebuild.
Alfred Lee Branch could be found around his house playing and loving on his cats – one of his favorite things. Anyone who knew Al has at one time had a conversation with him about his guns – he built them lock, stock and barrel, he bought and sold guns and spent this last couple of years refurbishing and building them.