Obituary of William “Wes” Branning

Wes Branning passed away on January 6, 2020 at home in Melbourne, Florida surrounded by the love of his family.  A memorial service will be held at Kent Forest Lawn Funeral Home in Panama City, Florida on January 11, 2020 at 1 p.m. Wes was born in Round Lake, Florida on August 13, 1933. He went on to serve in the United States Air Force, and graduate from the University of Florida with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Wes had an over 35 year career with NASA which included working on missions from Apollo to the International Space Station before his retirement in 1999.  His significant contributions to the United States space program were an inspiration to those around him.  After his retirement, he moved to Brevard, North Carolina, where he enjoyed his hobbies of gardening and woodworking.   His life was filled with love and friendship. Wes was preceded in death by his beloved wife Carol. He is survived by his daughters, Cay Thompson and her husband Peter and Lori Hacker and her husband Dave. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Wesley, Stewart, Joseph and Mary Margaret Hacker; Brian Rodriguez and his wife Nicole and son Mathew; Jason Rodriguez; Tiffani Brennan and her husband Sean; and Kari Barnard, her husband Colin and daughter Beckett. Other surviving family members include his sister Margaret Warr and her husband Jim, nephews Chris and David Pinkard, Michael Branning and Brian Warr, and niece Debbie Hicks. Wes had a strong commitment to his family. He adored his wife Carol, who passed away in 2018, his girls, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His support, love and encouragement serve as the foundation for their happy and successful lives.  He was a man of faith and established a foundation of values that his family built upon as they created their way.  Wes’ spirit lives on in the ones he left behind. He is loved and will be missed. Donations in lieu of flowers should be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org).