Henrietta Jessee Bratanov, age 80, of Abingdon, Virginia, passed away Wednesday (February 1, 2023) in Bristol, Tennessee. Born August 20, 1942 in the Finney section of Russell County, Virginia, she was a daughter of the late Henry and Flora Dye Jessee. She spent her early life in the area, and was a 1960 graduate of Honaker High School and later obtained a Doctorate of Theology degree. She pursued a career in Education and retired from Russell County Public Schools after twenty-five years of service as the Cosmetology instructor at the Vocational School in Lebanon. She later moved to Akron, Ohio, and became one of three founders of the Akron Shalom Bible College, where she served as a Dean. During her time in Ohio, she became the Ohio Regional Administrator for the National Day of Prayer. She had a passion for telling others about the Lord, singing and teaching Bible study. She loved her church family at Mountain View Community Church. She also enjoyed sewing, gardening, walking, water aerobics and was an avid reader, but most of all, spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Nothing brought her more joy than being a witness for Christ. Her last job was working for Senior Solutions, taking care of the elderly, which allowed her to not only care for their physical needs, but to attend to their spiritual needs as well. She devoted her life to caring for the needs of others and she left a lasting impact on all who knew her.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, J.C. Jessee and Clifford Jessee.
Survivors include her spouse, Steve George Bratanov; children, Richard Bostic and wife, Karen and Pam Bostic Spurgeon and husband, Jack; step-son, Michael Bratanov and wife, Brandy; grandchildren, Andrew Bostic and wife, Brittany, Hannah Hubbard and husband, John, Jordan McGlothlin, Gabe McGlothlin and wife, Katie, Wesley Spurgeon and wife, Kelly and Wade Spurgeon and wife, Victoria, Oscar Bratanov and Niah Bratanov; great-grandchildren, Jon Duke Hubbard, Kynlee McGlothlin, Atticus McGlothlin, Kyla McGlothlin, Addy Grace Hubbard, Braylon Spurgeon, Olivia Spurgeon and Judson Spurgeon; brother, Jack Jessee and wife, Jean; sister, Carolyn Jessee; several nieces and nephews also survive.
The family would like to extend a very special thank you to the staff of the Memory Care Center at Bristol Rehab and Ballad Hospice House for the wonderful care they provided to Henrietta and the kindness that was shown to them.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 PM Sunday in the Honaker Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Darrell Harmon officiating. Interment will follow in the Greenhills Memory Gardens at Claypool Hill, Virginia.
Pallbearers will be Gabe McGlothlin, Jordan McGlothlin, Andrew Bostic, John Hubbard, Wesley Spurgeon, Wade Spurgeon, Berk Artrip, Doug Hubbard and John Dye.
The family will receive friends at Honaker Funeral Home after 6 PM Saturday.