James F. Braden

Retired Lt. Col. James F. Braden, 80, of Bethlehem, died October 22, 2015. He was the beloved husband of Loraine (Breach) Braden. Born in Pittsburgh, he was a son of the late George and Pearl (Dunn) Braden. He served his country honorably in the Army and was a retired Lt. Col. in the Civil Air Patrol. He was also retired from the Army Reserve. Jim was the former manager of Dillon Floral Products in Bethlehem and later the owner of Witt and Son's Florist in Catasauqua. Jim was the past president of the Leigh Valley Floral Association. He was a licensed pilot; a past member of the Allied Air Force, and a former fencing coach at Lafayette College. He was a past president of the Bethlehem Kiwanis Club; a past president of the Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission; past chairman of the Christmas City Fair; and a former member of the original Lehigh Valley Pipe Band. He was also an instructor for the United States Naval Sea Cadets; Lehigh Valley Division, as well as a member of Bethlehem American Legion, Post 379, where he served for many years on the Honor Guard. Surviving: wife Loraine; loving sister Betty Ann Smith of Lady Lake, FL; daughters: Cindy, wife of Donald Elm Jr. of Bethlehem, and Lesa, wife of Richard Buttillo of Northampton; grandchildren: Ryan Lutseo, Elizabeth Elm, Nicole Lutseo, Donald Elm III, and Chadd Lutseo; and his seven great grandchildren. Services: at his request, services will be held privately. He will be interred in Ft. Indiantown Gap National Cemetery with full military honors. May be made in his memory to the Lehigh Valley Hospice, 2166 S 12th St Suite 100a, Allentown, PA 18103. His services have been entrusted to Falk Funeral Homes & Crematory, Hellertown. Visit his “Book of Memories” at falkfuneralhomes.com.