John Watts Broaddus

January 15, 1925 – October 13, 2011

John Watts Broaddus, 86, of the Culpeper Baptist Retirement Community went to be with the Lord on October 13, 2011. He was predeceased by his loving wife of 65 years, Katherine Alice Hayes Broaddus, in April 2011. He is survived by three sons: John Broaddus of San Antonio, Texas; Gregory Broaddus of Woodbridge, Virginia; and Richard Broaddus of Woodberry Forest, Virginia. He was a loving grandfather to four grandchildren: Matthew Broaddus of Washington, D.C.; Andrew Broaddus of Charlottesville, Virginia; Jessica Broaddus of Suffolk, Virginia; and Eliza Broaddus of Glencoe, Maryland. John is also survived by two sisters: Gwynn Conti and Virginia Hanna, both of New Castle, Pennsylvania, and by a brother: William Broaddus of Glen Allen, Virginia.

Born in Bagby, Virginia in Caroline County on January 15, 1925, John was a 1941 graduate of Caroline High School in Bowling Green, Virginia where he was ranked fourth in a class of 53 students; while in high school, he also won the Spelling Bee for the State of Virginia. After high school, John entered Virginia Polytechnic Institute, which he attended for two years. In November 1944 he was drafted into the US Army.

On June 2, 1945 he and Katherine married in Fredericksburg, Virginia. John decided to remain in the Army where he enjoyed a distinguished career. While stationed at Fort Holabird, Maryland he was named the Outstanding Soldier of the Year in 1958, and again in 1959. For eight years, in performing the additional duty of Color Guard Commander, he carried the national colors in parades and ceremonies, which he always described as an honor and a privilege. His military career also included overseas assignments to Japan and Germany, and culminated with his retirement as a Master Sergeant in November 1964. He and Katherine moved to Colonial Heights, Virginia in 1965, where he enjoyed a second career as a civil servant with the Army; he retired from civil service at Fort Lee, Virginia in 1980. John then went to work for First Virginia Bank as manager of the supply department; he left the bank in 1992 to become fully retired. During their years in Colonial Heights, John and Katherine were active members of Immanuel Baptist Church. In August 2008, they moved to Culpeper, Virginia and became members of Culpeper Baptist Church.

John will be interred, along with the remains of his late wife, in Arlington National Cemetery on a date yet to be determined; interim arrangements are being handled by Clore-English Funeral Home in Culpeper, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in John’s name be made to Hospice of the Rapidan, P.O. Box 1715, Culpeper, VA 22701. Online condolences may be offered by visiting clore-english.com.