MURFREESBORO – Raymond Lavelle Broadhead, age 73, of Murfreesboro passed away on January 9, 2015 at 10:02 p.m. at the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Medical Center in Richmond, VA.

Mr. Broadhead was born on December 25, 1941 to Ernest Napoleon and Vernell Bryant Broadhead in Mississippi, later moving to Needham, Alabama.  He joined the Navy in 1959, celebrating his 17th birthday in boot camp. Raymond served on the USS Ticonderoga, the Willie Wood, and the USS Fort Stall where he managed the personnel office, served as Lay Minister and held bible studies at lunch and evenings after work.  He retired after 23 years with the US Navy as a Master Chief Legal Man E-9.  He taught Sunday school, held street ministries, and was lay minister for prisons for many years.

Along with his ministries, Raymond also managed the legal office, NOB Norfolk, with 80 prosecuting attorneys, 80 defense attorneys and 116 court reporters, including himself.  In addition to his legal expertise, he designed courtrooms for judges when they wanted to update their courtrooms.

He enjoyed vegetable gardening, and yard work.  He planted a flower garden for his wife across the front of the house consisting of ever blooming rose bushes, a purple lilac bush and a purple butterfly bush, saying to her, “now you can never forget me.” Raymond enjoyed working with his hands with his favorite tools being hammers and duct tape.

Raymond was married to his loving wife for 52 years, vacuuming the floors three days a week, and adjusting her bra straps for her, with their famous saying being, “My Butt Loves Your Butt/”

Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Teresa Marie Broadhead; and his brother, Robert Leon Broadhead.

Raymond is survived by his wife Genivieve of the home; two sons, Anthony Ray Broadhead and his wife Lisa of  TN, and Christopher Hughes Broadhead and his wife Mary Ellen of Roanoke Rapids, NC; a sister, Carrie Fagan and her husband Tommy of Oklahoma; and a granddaughter, Amber Brooke Broadhead of Roanoke Rapids, NC.

Visitation will be held, Saturday evening, January 17, 2015, from 7:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Garrett-Sykes Funeral Service, Murfreesboro Memorial Chapel, Murfreesboro, NC.

A celebration of life service will be held on Sunday, January 18, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the Union Baptist Church, in Union, NC, with the Rev. Gregg Powell officiating, with burial to follow at Cedar Lawn Cemetery in Rich Square, NC, with military honors.

Memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, Finance Department, 30 East 33rd St., New York, NY 10016, American Cancer Society, 930 Wellness Drive, Greenville, NC 27834, or Blinded Veterans Association, 477 H Street, Northwest Washington, DC 20001-2694.

Garrett-Sykes Funeral Service – Murfreesboro Memorial Chapel is handling the arrangements for the Broadhead family and online condolences can be directed to the family by visiting www.garrettsykesfs.com.