Gaynell Pettit Brawley

YADKINVILLE - Mrs. Gaynell Pettit Brawley, beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother peacefully passed away on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at the SECU Hospice Care Center of Yadkin. She was 84 years old.

Born on May 23, 1939, in Yadkin County to the late Howard Lindsey Pettit and Annie Pearl Miller Pettit, Mrs. Brawley's life was a testament to love, warmth, and generosity. She graduated from Courtney High School and worked several years with R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.

However, it was in her roles beyond the workplace that Mrs. Brawley truly left an indelible mark. She was known throughout the community and celebrated for her exceptional cooking and cake baking skills. Over the years, she generously shared her knowledge by teaching cooking classes, enriching the lives of many with her passion for food.

Mrs. Brawley found joy in the simple pleasures of life. She cultivated a beautiful garden, tended to her yard with care, and embraced her role as a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother with boundless love and tenderness.

In addition to her remarkable accomplishments, Mrs. Brawley will be remembered for her kindness, her gentle spirit, and her unwavering devotion to her family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim Brawley, her sisters Betty Jean Clarkson and Linda Tucker, sister-in-law Dianna Pettit, and nephew Tim Clarkson.

She is survived by her loving son and daughter-in-law, Van and Melissa Brawley, her adoring grandsons  Samuel Brawley and wife Falon, Caleb Brawley and wife Priscilla, and her cherished great-grandchildren Piper Brawley and Pierce Brawley. She is also survived by her brother Dennis Pettit, brothers-in-law Jimmy Tucker and Bill (Peggy) Clarkson, and several nieces and nephews.

The legacy of Mrs. Gaynell Pettit Brawley lives on in the hearts of all who knew her. Her kindness, generosity, and unwavering love will continue to inspire and uplift those whose lives she touched.

The family will receive friends from 2-4 PM Sunday at Gentry Family Funeral Service in Yadkinville. A service to honor and celebrate her life will follow the visitation at 4 PM Sunday in the Gentry Family Chapel, officiated by Rev. Chris Hauser. Interment will take place in the Brawley Family Cemetery, where she will rest alongside her beloved husband, Jim.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to SECU Hospice Care Center of Yadkin in memory of Mrs. Gaynell Pettit Brawley, a compassionate soul who brought light and love to all who knew her. May her memory be a blessing, and may she rest in eternal peace.

The family would also like to extend their gratitude to the staff of SECU Hospice Care Center of Yadkin and to her caregivers  at home, Leah, Annette, Pat, and Stephanie who cared tirelessly for her with such kindness.  Online condolences may be made to www.gentryfuneralservice.com.