Ramona Wilkes Branscomb

Ramona Wilkes Branscomb passed on to Our Lord’s Heaven on Monday, August 12, 2024. She was born in Forsyth County, North Carolina in 1937 to Ray and Robina Wilkes. She was one of six children in the family, the 5th youngest and youngest girl of the bunch. Ramona loved growing up in rural Forsyth and graduated from Mineral Springs High School in 1956.

She was a strong Christian woman who loved the Lord with all her heart and soul. She had a sincere love for the vocal arts and music as expressed through her performances in church choirs, teaching children’s choirs, and as an assistant producer and director in community musicals in Franklin, Massachusetts.

Early in her working career, she served as a bank teller and later as a jewelry wholesaler and then a medical insurance manager. But it was her true love of family and dear husband Lionel that she willingly moved around these United States supporting her husband’s long and successful career with Colgate Palmolive.

She was married to Lionel at Oak Summit United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and now is a member of Mount Tabor United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Mona’s favorite pastimes included trips to the beach house in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, sewing, cooking pies, canning, making jam, and playing with her grandkids. She had quite the green thumb - especially with African violets. She also enjoyed playing bridge. But her true passion was serving God and others in her church and community.

She is known by her children, grandkids, and great grandkids as Robies, Rubles, Grandma, Grammie, Gma, GG, and also Robina!

Ramona is preceded by her parents Ray and Robina Wilkes, her brothers Milton Wilkes, Bob Wilkes, Jamie Wilkes, her sister Ann Osborn, and son-in-law John Hering.

Ramona is survived by her husband of 67 years, Lionel Branscomb; daughter, Patience Hering of Coppell, TX; daughter, Laura Cody (and husband Matthew) of Winston-Salem, NC; son, Lionel “Lee” Branscomb II (and wife Magda) of Houston, TX; and sister, Norma Schultz, SC.

She was immensely proud of her eight grandkids: Priscilla Carr (husband Joshua), Andrew Cody (wife Pao), Caroline Wall (husband Robert), Emily Cody, Hannah Branscomb, Natalie Cody, Jacob Hering (wife Kaiti), and Eli Branscomb. In addition, the great grandkids: Conner Wall, Joy Carr and Jubilee Carr.

A celebration of life service will be held at Mount Tabor United Methodist Church on Robinhood Road in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Saturday August 17th at 12:00 pm followed by a reception.