Edward Morris Branch

Edward Morris Branch, 85, of Colonial Heights, Virginia, passed away on Friday, December 8, 2023. Born on June 6, 1938, he was the son of the late Samuel and Nellie Branch. Edward was a devout Christian and his belief was the framework for all parts of his life. He regularly volunteered at church cooking and providing meals for others and after retirement he oversaw the maintenance of his church. He was a phone counselor for Contact, a crisis hotline. He had a career as a lab technician for over 40 years at Continental Can aka Stone Container. He felt very strongly that family came first. He adored his wife, Shirley.  They did everything together. He also loved capturing life’s moments in photos and he and Shirley had a business together called Photo Memories. They loved exploring new places together, especially the beach. He even engaged his grandson, Sean, to pick out new destinations out of the AAA book. The three of them would take off and explore. He started out with the CB handle ‘Batman’ and that stuck for the rest of his life, gaining him tons of Batman memorabilia. He loved classic horror films and the weekly hosts of those films: Bowman Body, Elvira and Svengoolie. Ed never missed an opportunity to get into costume for Halloween or dress in fancy gear for church or a dinner dance. He had a real love for music. He played trombone in high school and loved being a part of the Petersburg High School class reunions. He and Shirley traveled far and wide to see music from dances to celebrity shows to the annual Cammy awards in Myrtle Beach. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Shirley Branch. He is survived by daughter, Lori Leckie and husband, Zain Koroly; son, Gary Leckie and wife, Camille; daughter, Debbie Bolton and husband, Sonny; grandson, Sean Farbolin; granddaughter, Samantha Bolton and many beloved friends who became family. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, December 11, 2023, at the Colonial Heights Chapel of E. Alvin Small Funeral Homes & Crematory, 2033 Boulevard Colonial Heights, Virginia 23834 with the Reverend Joseph Carson and the Reverend Darwood Rowan officiating. Interment will be private at Blandford Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service from 10:00 am to 11:00 am Monday, at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made at https://www.newlife.center/, an organization the Branch’s have supported since the 1970’s. Online condolences may be registered at www.ealvinsmall.com.