Wayne J. Brantley

Stanley Funeral Home in Wrightsville, Georgia announces the death of Wayne J. Brantley. He was born in Dublin, Georgia on June 8, 1947 to the late Adeline Snell Brantley and Allen Layfette Brantley. Mr. Brantley, 76, passed away on March 10, from complications of Parkinson's Disease.

Mr. Brantley grew up in rural Johnson County. He graduated from Wrightsville High School in 1965 and was Class Salutatorian. He was voted "Most Likely to Succeed" by his classmates. He attended Georgia Southern College from 1965-67 before transferring to the University of Georgia. He received his B.S, in Education from UGA in 1970. Mr. Brantley received his Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling from Georgia Southern in 1975.

Mr. Brantley began work as a High School Counselor with the Gwinnett County School System in 1977 and remained there until his retirement in 2005. He was twice selected as Gwinnett Counselor of the Year and twice, Regional Counselor of the Year. He was also named the State of Georgia Counselor of the Year and was honored by the American School Counselors Association as the National Secondary Counselor of the Year in 1981.

Mr. Brantley was an avid world traveler and a collector of art and antiquities. His travels took him to over 30 countries including Russia, China, Peru, the UK, Iceland, and Egypt. While in Israel in 2007, he was baptized in the Jordan River. He took a great interest in family history, and organized a Military Remembrance Service for his Great-Grandfather, Jacob Snell, who was a Confederate soldier. Mr. Brantley returned to the family homeplace upon his retirement, renovated the family home and lived there until his death.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Walter Brantley.

Survivors include his sister, Joyce Cecilene Brantley Powell; niece, Trina Powell Braswell; nephews, Dale Powell, Ken Powell and Lenn (Diane) Brantley; great-nieces, Karla Knapp (Josh) Warren, Anna Powell (Nicholas) Carrell and Jennifer Brantley Roese; great-nephews, Scottie (Nikki) Knapp, Erik Powell, Derek Powell, Matthew Brantley and Michael (Caitlyn) Brantley; great-great nieces, Karlie Knapp, Catie Knapp, Addie Warren, Kallie Warren, Claire Roese and Everly Brantley; great-great nephew, Connor Roese; great-great-great nephew, Levi Rodriguez; step-niece, Olivia McAfee Eubanks; nieces-in-law, Tommie Brown Powell and Marie Harrison Powell.

Visitation will be held Wednesday night from 6 to 8 PM at Stanley Funeral Home in Wrightsville. Service is Thursday at 2 PM in the Richard N. Stanley, Jr. Memorial Chapel, Wrightsville.

Pallbearers are Dale Powell, Erik Powell, Derek Powell, Scottie Knapp, Josh Warren and Frank Wimberly. Honorary pallbearers are Ken Powell, Cole Carithers, Chase Braswell, Brandon Foskey, John Blanton, and Carl Froehbrodt.

Stanley Funeral Home and Crematory/Wrightsville Chapel has charge of funeral arrangements.