Richard Eugene Bratton Jr., 73, son of Richard Sr. and Verna (Audrain) Bratton, was born Feb. 5, 1946, in Jefferson City. He passed away April 10, 2019, at his home in Houston, Mo.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents; his in-laws, Glenn Sr. and Vera (Wilcox) Romines; brother-in-law, Glenn Romines Jr; brother-in-law, Larry T. Hackman; and beloved dog, Po.
He is survived by his wife, Gayla of Houston; daughter, Teresa K. Thompson (Bratton) and husband, Troy, of Houston; and son and West Point graduate, Richard E. Bratton III of Washington D.C. Richard was extremely proud of his son’s accomplishment serving like he did in the United States Army. Surviving family includes three sisters, Carolyn Hackman of Overland Park, Kan., Rita Beaird (Bob) of Orlando, Fla., and Audra Bratton (Pete Peters) of Maricopa, Ariz.; two brothers, David Bratton (Karen) of Las Colinas, Texas, and Donald Bratton of Port St. Lucie, Fla.; sister-in-law, Rita Romines of Springfield, Mo.; two brothers-in-law, Robert Romines (Jane) and Don Romines (Barbara) of Houston, Mo.; four grandchildren, Matthew Thompson, Mariah Martin and Michael and Ashley Collins; and five great-grandchildren, Tali and Konner Martin and Dawson, Joseph and Miranda Collins. He was a beloved uncle of Chet and Eric Bratton, Ashley and Ted Hackman, Jason and Leslie Bratton, Holly and Tara (Romines), Mandy and Justin (Romines) and Frank and Tyler Romines.
Richard grew up and attended high school in Fulton, Mo. Playing on the golf team with his brother, David, the Bratton boys were the stars of the Fulton High School golf team. Soon after graduation in 1964, Richard was drafted into the United States Army. He served as an 11C, Indirect Fire Infantryman. Following two years to the day of service, he was honorably discharged from the Army and returned back to Missouri. It wasn’t long until he reunited with a young woman, Gayla Kay Romines, that he met on the campus of William Woods College. Before leaving for the Army on Dec. 29, 1968, the couple were married and began a loving relationship that would last 50 plus years. With Gayla also serving in the Army, her first assignment took the couple to San Antonio, Texas, where Richard used his hard-earned G.I. Bill to attend the University of Texas in San Marcus and discovered sail boat racing, participating and winning many regattas. The couple spent a few years in Texas. Richard always talked fondly of this time.
After moving around in Kansas and Missouri, Richard and his family settled in Gayla’s childhood hometown of Houston, Mo. Richard was a vibrant businessman who thrived as an entrepreneur; he operated several successful businesses, including his privately owned SEARS franchise that took him part time to Illinois, Infinite Entertainment here in Houston, managing a second location of Romines Motor Company in Cabool, Mo., and also developing Houston Plaza on the north side of town.
His racing didn’t stop with sailboats. After being introduced to road course racing by his son in 2012, Richard started racing vintage BMW sports cars with the National Auto Sport Association (NASA). He loved to tell stories about winning races. His favorite story centered around surprising his competitors with a first-place finish in the Australian Pursuit race while being heavily considered the underdog at the Memphis International Raceway. Always willing to lend a hand at the track, Richard became heavily involved with the racing community and served as the Chief of Tech for the MidSouth NASA Region.
Of his many accomplishments, Richard was most proud of his Army service from 1966 to 1968. After his Basic Combat Training, Richard deployed to Vietnam and was assigned to C Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division; fighting alongside his brothers in arms in several major battles to include the Battle of Pagoda. Richard was a true patriot, earning the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Purple Heart, two awards. After being twice wounded in direct combat but surviving, it’s ironic that events in Vietnam are what later ended Richard’s life. Agent Orange, a herbicide sprayed over the jungles of Vietnam and thought to be safe at the time, proved to be cancer causing and directly attributed to the Liposarcoma that took Richard’s life.
Richard believed in community involvement and support. He helped everyone that asked for it and some that he believed needed it. He was a member of the Lions Club, Military Order of the Purple Heart – Chapter 140, American Legion, lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, the Boy Scouts of America and 28 years as an adult member of the Girl Scouts. An active member of the Houston Area Chamber of Commerce, Richard supported the county fair every year. You would often see him passionately waiving well deserved black flags at overly excited demolition derby drivers or flipping burgers.
He loved people and never met a stranger. The highlight of his week for the last two years, Richard spent every day with Joseph, Michael Collin’s two-year-old boy who affectionately called him Papa Richard.
He loved the Lord with all of his heart. He was a member of the Houston United Methodist Church and was looking forward to seeing Jesus Christ, his dog Po, his father and his mother-in-law. A husband, father, brother, grandfather, beloved uncle, friend, businessman, Soldier and racer, he was an honest, hard-working, wonderful man who will be missed by all and in our hearts forever.
A celebration of life with full military honors was held at the Houston United Methodist Church with the Rev. Michael Collins, Jay Frost and Donald Bratton officiating. Services and cremation were under the direction of Evans Funeral Home. Honorary pallbearers were Mike Taylor, Jerry Snyder, JJ Romines, Tyler Romines, Brecken Adey and Rhyen Romines.
Memorials are suggested to the Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 140, P.O. Box 4426, Ft Wood, Mo., or Sarcoma Fund c/o The University of Kansas Health System, 2330 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Suite 305, Westwood, Kan., 66205.
PAID