Individual Notes

Note for: Claudine Popwell, - Index

Individual Note:
Times Union Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Callahan honors Braddock
By Amelia A. Hart
Nassau Neighbors staff writer,
A great lady of Callahan was honored Dec. 6 for decades of "dedicated and unyielding" service to the town.
Former Callahan Councilwoman Claudine Braddock, who served for almost 30 years before retiring this year, was surrounded by members of her family as a small grove in Ewing Park was dedicated to her.
Former Callahan Councilwoman Claudine Braddock was honored by the town Dec. 6 at Ewing Park. A ligustrum, benches and a granite marker were added to the park to honor her. AMELIA A. HART/The Times-Union
Two stone benches and a granite marker noting Braddock's council tenure, from 1976 to 2003, have been placed in front of a ligustrum planted in the town park.
"It's beautiful," Braddock, 80, said. "I didn't expect this."
Feisty and frank, Braddock was noted for her plain talk during Callahan Town Council meetings and for always trying to see the human consequences of governmental actions.
Callahan officials also gave Claudine Braddock a crystal plaque engraved with her favorite poem, Trees, by Joyce Kilmer. Braddock is well known for her fondness for trees.
"She's going to say what she thinks no matter what," Mayor Shirley Graham said. "She always looks at things from the human side."
In an interview earlier this year, Braddock said she was a housewife and mother when she was recruited by several business people to run for the council.
"I had never thought about it. I had to think about it for a few days, " Braddock said.
Braddock said yes, going on to serve until September, when a painful knee condition, which she recently had corrective surgery on, sealed the decision to retire.
She always strived to do her best for the people and the town she loves, Braddock said.
"I love Callahan. Callahan's my home. I love the people here. I just did the best I could. I believe in treating everybody right and fair," she said.
Councilman David Card said Braddock always stood by what she believed. But if she found out she was wrong, or if she learned new information, she wasn't afraid to change her mind. And she'd stand by her new opinion as well, he said.
"She wasn't wishy-washy about anything," Card said.
Braddock always wanted to do what was right for the citizens, Councilman Ted Combs said.
"I've heard her say on occasion that she didn't care what the code book said, we have to do what's right," Combs said.
During the ceremony, Braddock thanked the town for honoring her and gave a parting good wish to Ewing Park, for which she was a tireless advocate during her council career.
"May God bless this park and may it always be a peaceful place for people to come," Braddock said.

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Claudine "Dean" Braddock

BRADDOCK Claudine Dean Braddock of Mickler Street in Callahan, slipped gracefully into Heaven on Good Friday morning, April 9, 2004. Mrs. Braddock was 80. Born December 17, 1923 to Mr. Walter Gray Popwell and Mrs. Winifred Virginia Day Popwell of Woodbine, Georgia, she moved as a small girl to Hilliard, Florida where she was raised and attended school. Her father died when she was only one years old, and her mother later met and married Mr. Bishop W. Hinson, who was a loving father and husband. Mrs. Braddock was a stand-out high school student athlete at Hilliard School. She excelled in studies and in basketball and track. She was proud captain of the 1940-1 Flashes County Champion Basketball Team. After graduating from high school, Mrs. Braddock attended Jacksonville College (now Jacksonville University) and earned an Emergency Teacher's Certificate. She taught elementary school in Hilliard during the latter years of World War II. During this period, Mrs. Braddock met a nd married Callahan timberman Donald P. Braddock. They were happily married for nearly forty- five years until Mr. Braddock's death in 1986. They had three sons, twins Donald and Ronald, and Dale. Mrs. Braddock was very involved in church and community activities. She was a devout Christian and long-time member of the First Baptist Church of Callahan and served on the Callahan City Council for twenty- five years until her retirement in 2003. She was the first woman elected to do so. She proudly served the council as Fire and Police Commissioner for many years and the newly constructed fire station downtown Callahan was recently dedicated in her name. Until her death, she had been long-time president of the Jones Cemetery Association and the Braddock- Higginbotham family reunion committee. She was past president and a very active member of her beloved Sunday school class. Mrs. Braddock was an avid writer. She composed and presented many poems to her friends and family during times of c elebration and sorrow. She also wrote touching biographies about Nassau County's pioneering families and they were published in the local newspaper. Her stories were called A Little Bit of History by Claudine Braddock. Mrs. Braddock was preceded in death by her husband, Donald (D.P.), brothers Wilbur (killed in Korean War) and Elmer Popwell, and her only sister, Estelle Popwell Brock. She is survived by her youngest brother, Marvin Hinson and family of Hilliard, loving sons and daughters-in-law Donald and Renee, Ronald and Lissa, and Dale and Carol, and her six precious Pumpkins , her grandchildren: Ronnie, Erin, Bish, Lauren, Blake, and Natalie Braddock. Her first great- grandchild will be born in November to Erin and Chris Rohe. Mrs. Braddock's kind, unselfish, and loving nature impacted the lives of many people and her passing will be mourned throughout the Nassau County Community. Funeral services will be held at Callahan First Baptist Church Tuesday, Apr il 13th at 11am, Rev. Lynn Hyatt officiating. Burial will be at Jones Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 6:00- 8:00pm Monday evening at Callahan Funeral Home. Following the service, family and friends will be received at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center and later at the home of Ronnie and Lissa Braddock at 45206 Musselwhite Road, Callahan. Arrangements By Callahan Funeral Home, Inc. Please sign the Guestbook at Jacksonville.com
Published in the Florida Times-Union on 4/12/2004.