TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Lt. Col. (Ret.) James C. Braye 1932-2021 Human Resources Executive, U.S. Army James C. “Pepper”
boss for four years. More than that, he was a loving educator, he was a patient listener, and he was my friend. Dr. Batey was an amazing individual who not only helped me and other educators to be the best we could be, but also was always willing to go above and beyond to ensure that his students, team members and colleagues knew that he supported them.”
ber of the "Marching Maroon & White" Band where he played Alto Saxophone. Another highlight of his collegiate career was being selected to work with the Space Program at Redstone Arsenal. He earned a B.S. in Engineering in 1969. Bradford began his professional ca- reer with the Space Division of North American Rockwell Corporation in Downey, CA. From there, he accepted a role with IBM which moved him to Peoria, Ill, where he met the love of his life Rosetta Washington through a mutual friend. While in Peoria, Bradford was selected as Outstanding American by the Junior Chamber of Commerce and was a charter member of the Peoria Alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. He was a Life-Time Member of Kappa Alpha Psi and also a member of the NAACP. Bradford held many different positions throughout his professional career and retired after more than 20 years of service from Fleetguard®, the filtration division of Cummins Engine Company as a Six Sigma Green Belt. Bradford gave his life to Christ at an early age. He was baptized at Harmony Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Al and served there until educational and career opportunities took him other places. Bradford's love for God always led him to a new church home where he served in whatever capacity needed. He was last a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Nashville, Tenn., where he sang in the Men’s Choir Group. He was preceded in death by his brother, Erskrayden Bradford, and mother & father. Bradford is survived by his devoted wife of 42 years, Rosetta (née Washing- ton) Bradford, children Dennetta Brad- ford, Dennison Bradford – Eta Gamma 1998 (Joy), Dawn Lewis (Elbert), and Devin Anna Hayes (Kevin), one sister Pamela Kennedy (Rodney), and nine grandchildren Emerson Lewis, Ellington Lewis, Everett Lewis Ezra Lewis, Easton Lewis, Espen Lewis, Eckland Lewis and Jackson Bradford & Julian Bradford.
Braye (Alpha Phi 1949) entered the Chapter Invisible on Tuesday, De- cember 21, 2021. James Clarence Braye was born on June 27, 1932, in Norfolk, VA,
Dennison L. Bradford, III 1947-2014 Engineer
Dennison L. Bradford, III (Gamma Phi
to James Sylvester Braye and Inez (née Winfield) Braye. Not long after his birth, the family moved to Harlem, NY, where he attended some years of preschool and elementary school. They moved back to Norfolk when his father secured work at the U.S. Naval Base. Braye has a lifelong love of music, using a melodic tenor and, later, baritone voice to excel at Norfolk’s Booker T. Washington High School, where he graduated at age 15. He attended Virginia State College, where he studied voice. Braye sang in church and community choirs throughout his life. He earned a B.A. in education and later a master’s in counseling. A triple retiree, lending passion and ex- pertise to many fields, Braye retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 20 years of ser- vice in the U.S. Army, serving in Vietnam and living and traveling around the world with his growing family. He worked as a Personnel Director and was involved in Human Resources for companies like Pfizer and Continental Group. Late in life, Braye led the University of North Carolina-Wilmington’s Career Planning and Placement office. A former student organized a scholarship in his name at UNC-Wilmington, and the world is “pep- pered” with those whom he mentored, sponsored, fed, counseled, advised, and helped in some way or other. Braye wrote Marching to the music (Rosedog Books 2005), “which traced humble beginnings as a black waif in the tenements of Harlem, New York, through careers as a U.S. Army officer, corporate executive, and educator. It is a
1967), entered the Chapter In- visible on May 5, 2014 The second of three children
Dennison was born on April
15, 1947, to the late Edelle Julia (née Bennett) Bradford and the late Reverend Erskine Ramsey Bradford in Birming- ham, Ala. A product of the Birmingham City School Systems, Bradford was able to thrive at Carol W. Hayes High School where he graduated in the spring of 1964. During his time in high school, he developed his love for all things music & radio. He was a Top-Rated Air Personal- ity for WENN (1320 AM) a commercial urban radio station licensed in Birming- ham, Ala. He furthered his passion for Ham Radio by setting up a shortwave ra- dio system that allowed him to speak to people all over the nation. Bradford was also a member of the Hayes High School Marching Band where he continued that passion into to college. Upon graduating, Bradford began his collegiate career at Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia before transferring to Alabama A&M University in Hunts- ville, Alabama. During his time at A&M he became a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., where he held the position of Polemarch for Gamma Phi and also Junior Vice Polemarch for the Southern Province. He was also a mem-
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