Carolyn Gayle Braden

Carolyn Gayle Braden, born on July 21, 1942, in Bristol, Tennessee, was the beloved daughter of William Elmer Williams and Pearl “Cecil” Loveday.

Carolyn earned a degree in office management and administration from Knoxville Business College, and attended the University of Tennessee. Carolyn met her future husband, Johnny Braden, during a summer job in Knoxville, Tennessee. They married on January 7, 1966, beginning a loving partnership that spanned 58 years.

After a brief period in Arkansas and Louisiana, Carolyn and John made their home in Springfield, Virginia. As their three children progressed in school, Carolyn embarked on a successful career managing the offices of several medical practices. She dedicated 25 years to Annandale Family Medicine, where she formed deep and lasting friendships with her colleagues. In addition, patients fondly remembered her kindness long after her retirement.

Balancing her full-time job, Carolyn was a devoted mother, supervising homework, and preparing family dinners. Her generosity of spirit, love, and unwavering dedication to her children was evident in every aspect of her life. As the years passed and her family grew, she relished her new role as a grandmother. She was immensely proud of each of her children and grandchildren.

Carolyn found great pleasure in southern cooking and was always ready to bring the family together with a delicious meal that often ended with her delectable chocolate cake or banana pudding. Despite the challenges of the past seven years, Carolyn’s infectious laugh and her love of her family endured. She left this earthly world peacefully on Friday, July 12, 2024.

Carolyn is survived by her devoted husband, Johnny Braden, her daughters Jennifer (Chris) Kirkpatrick of Tucson, Arizona; Kristi (Steve Fowle) Braden of Leesburg, Virginia; and son Andrew (Gabrielle) Braden of Vienna, Virginia. She also leaves behind her five loving grandchildren, Emma and Jake Snow, Graham Kirkpatrick, and Atticus and Caroline Braden.

A celebration of Carolyn’s life will take place at 1 PM on Thursday, July 18, 2024, at Money & King Funeral Home, 171 Maple Avenue West, Vienna, Virginia 22180, followed by a light luncheon at her son Andrew’s home in Vienna.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes contributions in her honor to the American Stroke Association https://www.stroke.org/