Gene was born in Collins, GA, February 15, 1922, the son of George W. and Sophronia Cowart Braswell, and was preceded in death by them and a brother, Jesse D. Braswell, of Americus. He was a 1938 graduate of Collins High School. He graduated in 1939 from The Draughon School of Commerce, and in 1949 from Emory University, both of Atlanta. After a short employment with Haverty Furniture Company, Atlanta, in 1939 and 1940, he joined Seaboard Air Line Railroad in Hamlet, NC.
He was a veteran of World War II, serving three years aboard the USS Yorktown (CV-10) in the Pacific theatre of operations. following graduation from Emory, he returned to service with Seaboard Railroad at Raleigh, NC, later working also at Norfolk and Richmond, VA, and with Seaboard’s successors, at Jacksonville, FL, retiring in 1982. He moved to Macon in 1984.
A member of Northminster Presbyterian Church, he served as an elder, and, in earlier congregations as deacon and elder. He had a lifelong interest in photography and was active in competitions, from which he received numerous awards.
Gene was a loving and devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and a loyal friend. He will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Betty Weatherford Braswell; two daughters and sons-in-law, Kathryn and Steven Hochman, of Atlanta, and Rebecca and Ken Botts, of Maysville; and three grandchildren, Hannah and Rachel Botts and Joseph Hochman.
Memorial gifts can be directed to Noah’s Ark, an animal rehabilitation center and children’s care home, as a way of honoring Gene and continuing his legacy of love for all of God’s creatures. www.noahs-ark.org