He attended North East High School in Kansas City before enlisting in the United States Marine Corp. His wife of 59 years, Jeanette Braden, first met Van while in school. They reconnected once Van returned home from Korea while she was working at the Russell Stover’s counter in Montgomery Ward. They married in 1956 and started a family of their own. Van worked at Armco Steel while Jeanette raised their children. Van was an avid outdoorsman, with a passion for deer and turkey hunting. In the early 1960’s, Van and Jeanette purchased property near his birthplace of Jordan, Missouri where they built a hunting cabin and weekend getaway. Van spent much of his free time after retirement working the land and keeping up the cabin and property as well as taking care of his Aunt, Opal Garrison of Cross Timbers, Missouri. This property would eventually be the legacy that Van would leave his family for generations to come.
Van was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Jeanette Braden.
He is survived by his children: Raejean Braden, Vanette Pritchett and her husband, Howard Pritchett, Bruce Braden, and his wife Sharon Braden; his grandchildren: Philip Pritchett, and his wife, Cabaletta Pritchett, Lacette Price, and her husband Tommy Price, Michael Pritchett, and his wife, Ashley Pritchett; and great grandchildren, Van Buren Pritchett, Claira Price, Gabriel Pritchett, Chesni Pritchett, Averly Price, and Elijah Pritchett.
Van was dearly loved and will be missed by his family.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, January 23 from 10-10:30 AM, service 10:30 AM, at Forest Grove Baptist Church, 165185 S. Hadsell Rd, Pleasant Hill, MO. Burial will follow at Floral Hills Cemetery, 7000 Blue Ridge Blvd, Kansas City, MO.
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