Ralph Waldo Brake, Jr., son of the late Ralph Waldo Brake, Sr. and Bessie Pleasants Brake, passed away peacefully at McLeod Hospital in Florence, SC, on December 10, 2017. Ralph lived eighty-eight full and active years as a lifelong resident of Rowland, NC. He was a member of Rowland Presbyterian Church, where he served as an elder.
In 1951, Ralph received his BS in Business Administration from UNC Chapel Hill. While attending, he pitched for the Tar Heels baseball team. Ralph then joined the US Navy and also pitched for the Navy Seminoles. Ralph went on to enjoy a thirty-six year business career, as a group sales representative for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, where he made many dear friends.
One of Ralph’s favorite pastimes was watching his beloved Tar Heels, with his son. He also loved playing golf with all of his buddies. Ralph was known for heading to the beach when a hurricane was forecast. Riding out Hurricane Hugo at Myrtle Beach, SC, with his son and brother Vernon, was a story he loved to tell.
Ralph is survived by four daughters, Betsy Brake McCallum (Jamie) of Dillon, SC, Robin Brake DeAngelo of Cornelius, NC, Mary Darwin Brake of Charlotte, NC, and Laurie Brake Curtiss of N. Myrtle Beach, SC; one son, Ralph Waldo Brake, III of Rowland, NC; two brothers, Vernon Pleasants Brake (Georgia Ann) of Myrtle Beach, SC and Thomas Walter Brake (Carole) of Charlotte, NC; eleven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a long time special friend, Joyce Floyd of Lumberton, NC. Ralph will be dearly missed by all who loved him.
Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 15, 2017, at Rowland Presbyterian Church.
Funeral Service will be at 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 15, 2017, at Rowland Presbyterian Church. The burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Rowland Presbyterian Church, Rowland Rescue Squad, or Rowland Fire Department.