Donald Allen "Pancho" Branch

Donald Allen “Pancho” Branch, 49, of Connelly Springs, NC passed Sunday, May 10, 2015 after several years of declining health.  Born in Burke County, NC on July 6, 1965, he was the son of the late Donald Richard Branch and Ruby Elizabeth Hice Branch.  Pancho was a graduate of Freedom High School and Haywood Technical College.  Throughout the years, his occupations always dealt with lumber.  He was employed by Wellman and Merrill Lumber Company at a young age.  Soon he became a lumber grader and inspector for Cramer Lumber Company of Hildebran, Voorhees and Pitts of Morganton, Bernhardt Furniture of Lenoir, and Shaver Wood Products of Cleveland, NC.  Allen’s greatest obsessions in life were hunting and fishing.  He loved to hunt duck, deer, squirrel, and doves, but he was most passionate about rabbiting hunting.  Allen had several hunting buddies whom he considered more than friends; they were family.

Mr. Branch is survived by his wife, Amparo Sterling Branch of the home; children, Jessica Branch of the home, April Johnson of Connelly Springs, and John Paul “J.P.” Johnson and his wife, Barbara, of Connelly Springs; grandchildren, Hunter Johnson, Dylan Johnson, Luke Johnson, Brayden Aikey, and Delylia Branch; a grandson-to-be, Christian Allen Killian; a sister, Kaye Mourglea and her husband whom he considered a brother, Andy; a sister-in-law, Mercedes Nino of Charlotte, NC; a special niece, Saharia Mourglea and her fiancé and one of Pancho’s best friends, Ricky Hicks; a special nephew, Andrew “Drew” Mourglea, his hunting companion and one to whom he taught many life lessons; an aunt, Emily Ollis and her husband, Mack, of Morganton; cousins, Wanda Mace and her husband, Frank, and Carole McCracken; and a host of nephews, nieces, and other cousins.

The family will greet friends from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m. Thursday, May 14, 2015 in the Colonial Chapel of Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center.  The memorial service will follow in the chapel at 6:00 p.m. with the Reverends Tim Dockery and Marty Bess officiating.

Memorial contributions may be made to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC 28690.

Sossoman Funeral Home is assisting the family.