Thelma Branch

Thelma Mintz Branch, 93 of Morehead City passed away on Saturday, February 4, 2017 at her home.

Her funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at All Saints Anglican Church with the Reverend David Linka officiating. Interment will follow at Bayview Cemetery.

Thelma Mintz Branch was born April 14, 1923 at Wrightsboro, a small town near Wilmington, NC to Bertha Samalthia Skipper and Lorenzo Philip Mintz of Wilmington. She was the last of 7 children, three of whom died in infancy. She graduated from New Hanover High School with honors and immediately went to work as a saleslady for S&H Kress Co, working her way up to Floor Walker ( Which is the equivalent of Dept Manager in today’s world). On December 10, 1942, she met her future husband quite by accident. He was to be a quest at the party honoring his decision to move from his home in Raleigh, NC to Wilmington, to head the project of building the much needed Bluethenthal landing runway for the airport at Wilmington. The girl who was to be his date called to cancel t the last minute, and Thelma was asked to be his “blind date for the occasion. It was love at first sight for both of them and their marriage two years later was to continue on for 68 years into the future with hopes for it to go on forever after death. In the meantime WW II was upon them and her husband would have to spend the next several years overseas with the 10th armored division.

After the war was over, her husband’s training as a variety store manager led them to Morehead City where he operated Roses 5 and 10 store for a chain out of Henderson, NC for a period of fifteen years. Since they now called Morehead City their home, they owned and operated similar stores called Branch Variety Stores in Morehead, New Bern, Havelock, and Newport. These stores and another endeavor in Ahoskie, NC for White’s Variety Stores kept her husband’s interest alive for the next 15 years. He retired in 1983. It was then that she became interested in ballroom dancing. She received her training at the Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Raleigh, NC the Marie Wallace School of Dance and taught dancing for the next 17 years. Her other interest revolved around writing and genealogy. She joined Morehead City’s Writer’s Club and won several awards for her poetry, short stories, and was the author of five published books of fiction. Also, she was a member of the Choral Club under Virginia Hassell and was involved in the formation of Morehead’s first Drama Club. She and her husband were two of the 40 people who founded and built St. Andrews Episcopal Church of Morehead City. While there, she sang in the Senior Choir, taught Sunday school and was a member of the Women’s Auxillary, but at the time of her death she was a member of All Saint’s Anglican Church of Morehead City, which evolved from St.
Andrews Episcopal Church of Morehead, NC.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Paul Rudolph Branch, her parents, Bertha Salmalthia Skipper Mintz and Lorenzo Philip Mintz, her sister, Evelyn Mintz, her brother, Edward Bell Mintz and another sister, Eunice Mae Mintz Gibson all of Wilmington, NC.

She is survived by her beloved son, Paul R. Branch Jr. of Morehead City; grandchildren, Stephanie Branch and husband Ryan Offenburger of Durham, NC, Erika Paulyn Branch of the home and Appalachian College, step grandson, Jacob and wife Emily, and step great grandson, Jacob Jr. of the home in Morehead City, NC.

Surviving nieces are Doris Harris Smith and family of Norfolk, Va and Catherine Harris Smith and family of Wilmington, NC. Surviving nephew is James Walter Harris Jr. and wife, Billie and family of South Carolina; Also surviving are great nieces, Rhonda Stalker of the home and great nephews Wilbur and David and families; great nephew Ricky Jocheim and special friend, Cindy Reeves, all of Wilmington, NC. Also are cousins too numerous to mention here but several, beloved by her are Doctor Bernard and Mrs. Barbara Branch of Lexington, KY; Jerry Branch and wife, Gilda of Raleigh, NC and Minnie Frances Branch of Cayman Island. Last, but not least, genealogy has discovered many more great nieces and nephews and Thelma has welcomed each and every one in with a smile and a hug.

Visitation will be held 6:00 to 8:00 PM Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at Munden Funeral Home in Morehead City.

Online condolences can be made at www.mundenfuneralhome.net.

Arrangements are by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory, Morehead City, NC.