Funeral services for Mrs. Violet Boutwell Branham, age 93 of Ruston, will be held in the Chapel at Temple Baptist Church Ruston at 2 pm Monday, February 18, 2019.  Visitation will be held from 12:30 pm until the time of the service.  The service will be officiated by Rev. Dale Oden and Dr. Reggie Bridges under the direction of Owens Memorial Chapel Funeral Home of Ruston.  Burial will be on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 at Jefferson Memorial Gardens under the direction of Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home in Trussville, AL.  The family will receive visitors in Trussville at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home beginning at 9 am with a service to follow in the Jefferson Memorial Gardens Chapel at 10 am.

Violet was born August 30, 1925 to Robert Calvin and Jessie Crowe Boutwell in Gardendale, Alabama and died Friday, February 15, 2019 in Ruston.

Violet was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Manley Talton (M.T.) Branham, her parents, 3 brothers, 3 sisters, and a great granddaughter Abigail Parmer.  She is survived by children: Manley Branham and wife Frances; Kenneth Branham; and Norlyn and husband Leo Hyde; grandchildren: Robyn Parmer; Jennifer and husband Clarence Collins; Lisa Branham; Lee Branham and wife Kami; Joy Lynn and husband Jason Hoy; Kenny Branham; Chris Hyde; Jonathan Hyde and wife Sarah; Melanie and husband John Atkinson; and Jimmy McDaniel and wife Amanda; great-grandchildren: Elizabeth, C.J., Jacob, Joshua, Josiah and Sophia Parmer; Jay Collins; Hailey Walker, Tristan, Tyler and Trina Branham; Brett, Madeline and Zachary Hoy; Abi, Ruth Ann, Matthew and Mary Katherine Hyde; Rylie, Parker, and Darla Elizabeth Atkinson; and Shannan and Madelyn McDaniel.

Violet was a dedicated member of Temple Baptist Church in Ruston.  One of her passions was the Hospital Auxiliary. She worked in various positions throughout her life including work in the Welcome Center, Gift Shop and Medical Records. She also served on the Auxiliary Board of Directors at Beauregard Memorial Hospital in DeRidder, Louisiana and at Northern Louisiana Medical Center in Ruston. She earned her 2,000 hour pin in DeRidder and her 3,500 hour pin in Ruston.   She was also a member of the Zeta Rho Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha and earned a 5 ^th degree of Pallis Athene as an ESA member.  She worked many hours in an effort to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through ESA.

Serving as pallbearers will be Christopher Branham Hyde, Jonathan L. Hyde, Matthew Talton Hyde, Jacob Parmer, John Christopher Atkinson and Hank Jones.

The family would like to express appreciation to Lacey and Angela with Hospice Compassus and sitters Ruby, Gloria, and Gredie while Violet was on hospice care.  Special thanks and appreciation go to Barbara Young for her attentive, loving-care given to Violet on a daily basis for the past year.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.