Linwood Edward Jr Bratcher

On February 7, 2018, Linwood “Lin” E. Bratcher, Jr. entered into God’s greater glory at the age of 59.

A memorial service will be held at 3 PM Sunday, February 25th at Williamson’s Chapel United Methodist Church, 575 Brawley School Rd., Mooresville, NC. The family will receive friends following the service.

Born in New Bern, NC to the late Linwood E. Bratcher and Mildred Dixon Bratcher, Lin spent his childhood and youth growing up in Wilson, NC. It was at the age of 13 he heard God’s call into the ministry. This call was nurtured by the staff and congregation of the First Baptist Church of Wilson, in particular Clyde Patterson. He attended Atlantic Christian College (now Barton) in Wilson, where he received a BS in Music Education with a concentration in Organ. Following that he attended Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC where he received a MDiv with Church Music with a concentration in Organ. Lin had the privilege of studying with many fine professors, in particular Tina Hensley, Charles Rakow, Jim Good and Michael Hawn.

In 1984 Lin was ordained into the Christian Ministry by the congregation of First Baptist Church, North Wilkesboro, NC. Through over 40 years of ministry he served congregations across North Carolina as Minister of Music, Associate Pastor, Music Pastor and lastly at Williamson’s Chapel as Developer of Music, Worship and Arts.

Worship was always the focus of the choirs Lin directed and hymns were his first love. He worked to broaden the scope of his choirs by offering them opportunities to preform in different venues. His choirs performed at The National Cathedral in Washington, DC, Bruton Parish Church in Colonial Williamsburg, VA, The Governor’s Mansion in Raleigh, NC and Duke Chapel in Durham, NC.

Lin is survived by his wife of 37 years, Kathy T. Bratcher; their children, Brice Bratcher and wife Celia of Cary, NC and Helen Bratcher and finace Andy Johnson of Brevard, NC; his sister Marsha B. Chagaris of New Bern, NC; sister-in-law Carolyn J. Twisdale of Columbia, SC; as well as grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to express their appreciation to the many fine doctors, nurses and care givers that so deeply touched them over the last few years. A note of special thanks goes to Dr. Robert Levy and Dr. Andrea Cochran of Cabarrus Family Medicine, Kannapolis, NC.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to be made to The Music and Worship Fund, Williamson’s Chapel UMC, 575 Brawley School Rd., Mooresville, NC 28117.