BOONEVILLE – Joseph "Joe" Eugene Brackeen, 89, passed away Wednesday, March 26, 2014, at Magnolia Regional Hospital in Corinth. He was born Dec. 18, 1924, to Josiah Young and Francis Elizabeth (Smith) Brackeen . He had been drafted into the U.S. Army during World War II and sent over to Italy. They were right by the enemy front line. He said they were in the trench and could hear the enemy talking to each other. When it was his turn to go to sleep, he said he woke up because his ear was hurting him. He had thought a bug had crawled up in his ear or that some rain water had gotten stuck in it one. He said the pain got so bad that it was making him have to throw up; but he knew if he could hear them talking then they would hear him throw up, so he saw a chicken coupe nearby. He knew if he could make the chickens make some noise that the enemy would not hear him throw up. So, he went over to the coupe and made the chickens make noise as he threw up. He had not seen a sniper that was hidden inside the chicken coupe. His ear hurt him so bad that went to sick call. They could not find the problem; so, they sent him to the hospital where he could get x-rays taken. While he was being examined at the hospital he was given word that his whole army group had been wiped out by a sniper that had hidden in the chicken coupe. So, He was the only survivor from that group of soldiers. (Isn't it amazing how lives are spared. Just to think that a doctor had laid him and my Mom-his twin out for dead thinking they were so small and under weight that they were not going to make it. Uncle Joe had a lot of close calls to death; yet he lived 89 years. After Uncle Joe came back from the war, the family said he never was the same as he was before the war. I believe he suffered PTSD but never was diagnosed). However, he enjoyed life and was fun to be around. The rest of his life was spent as a truck driver. He was also a member of First Apostolic Church of Jumpertown, MS.
Visitation had taken place from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 29, 2014 and Services were held at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 30,2014 at McMillan Funeral Home Chapel. Graveside Burial took place at Liberty Memorial Gardens where the military funeral was carried out.
He had been married to the following:
1. Cleo (Michaels)Brackeen who is still living at time of passing. From this Union came two daughters. Daughter #1: Paulette (Brackeen) Pippin-her husband was David Pippin. They lived in Tupelo, MS at time of passing. Daughter #2: Carolyn (Brackeen) Stricklin. She was widowed and living in Marietta, MS at time of passing. (The war he said had been the cause of their divorce).
2. Bessie Jeanette "Nettie" (Potts) Dean-Brackeen-Dean who had passed in 2011. From this Union came two children: Daughter: Reba (Brackeen) Spreitzer who was living in Crystal Lake, Illinois at time of passing. Son: Loyde Wayne Brackeen-his wife was Billie, they were living in Springfield, TN at time of passing. He raised Bessie's children as his own:Jessie Dean and his wife Judy living in Wilcox, AZ; Matthew Dean living in Baldwyn, MS, and
Margaret (Lenox) Coltharp of Myrtle. (It was said she wanted to go back to her 1st husband).
3. Billie Jean (Wimon)Bowen-Brackeen. (She was the love of his life and the one he was married to the longest). They did not have any children together but he raised her 3 sons as his own. The baby being 9 months old at the time of their union. Jerry Bowen living in Arkansas, Bobby Bowen living in Memphis and Dale Bowen (the baby) of Arkansas. It was said that Uncle Joe worked with her x-husband and he wanted to get a divorce from her and he fixed Uncle Joe and Aunt Jean up. He seemed to be the happiest married to her.
4. Dorothy. (It was said that her children interfered with their marriage).
5. Linda. (It was said she never cooked and did not stay at home with him that she stayed mostly with a female friend).
Five times. No, he was not in competition with Elizabeth Taylor.
His two sisters that were still living at time of passing were:
1. Irene (Brackeen) Kennedy-White of Thrasher, MS. Widowed twice: 1. Milton Carl Kennedy Sr and 2. Vernon W. White (She is my mother by 1. and was his twin sister. Uncle Joe fixed them up when he brought Milton home on a military leave).
2. Ethel Marie (Brackeen)Gargus of Booneville, MS. Also Widowed-Hershel.
He had numerous of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren at the time of his passing.
He was preceded in death by his parents, five sisters and seven brothers. As well as the two spouses that were mentioned here.

The Obituary had been published in Northeast MS Daily Journal, 3/28/14.