John W. Branch

In addition to his wife, Margaret Mary Zutterman Branch, John left three stepsons Bryan O’Brien, of Madonna House Lay Apostolate in Combermere, Ontario, Canada, Raymond O’Brien, his wife Kathleen, and grandchildren, Megan, Kelly and Duncan of Boonville, NY, Anthony Gerard O’Brien of Fairport, NY; three stepdaughters, Lucy Gibson, her husband Robert, of Canton, NC, Mary-Josette Butron, and grandchildren Kenneth, Alicia and Rosaura of Asheville, and Dr. Eileen Nugent, her husband Christopher, and grandchildren Emma and Gabriel of Grand Haven, MI. Also nieces, Vola Lund, Helen Sengle, Joan Scavello; nephew, Robert Branch; and many great nieces and nephews and their children.

After receiving a law degree from Cornell and an M.A. in Economics from the University of Rochester, John practiced law for fifty-three years in Rochester, New York. He taught business law ten years at the University of Rochester, led Great Decisions discussion groups for twenty years and initiated several business enterprises which were successfully merged or sold. He, and his late wife, the Hon. Caroline Wilbur Branch, also hosted and assisted many foreign students whom they considered their “extended family”.

John served as president of various community organizations including City Club, East Rochester Rotary, Pittsford Rotary, Rochester United Nations Association, The Branch Wilbur Fund, Iota Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and Monroe County Senior Citizens’ Action Council. Recently he served on the board of the Hawthorne Villages Association, East Asheville, where he was in residence.

A funeral service will be held at St. Nicholas Church on Monday, March 4 at 10:00 AM. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery, Asheville.

His family will receive friends Sunday, March 3 from 7:00 - 8:00 PM at St. Nicholas Church. Friends and neighbors will be welcomed at the home the following Sunday, March 10 from 2:00 - 4:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Mountain Area Hospice, P.O. Box 25338, Asheville, NC 28813 or St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, 5 Park Ridge, Fletcher, NC 28732.