Henry “Hank” Wakefield Brandenburg, 65, passed away on Jan. 15, 2026, in Franklin.
Mr. Brandenburg was born on Oct. 4, 1960, in Washington, D.C., to the late Norma Jean Sites Brandenburg of Franklin and Russell Brandenburg of Bartlesville, Oklahoma.
He grew up in Oxon Hill and Camp Springs, Maryland. As a boy, his activities included scouting, playing the violin, and later timpani in the symphonic band at Crossland High School, where he spent his spare time at the school’s computer lab.
He attended the University of Maryland, where he majored in computer science and electrical engineering. He spent his career excelling in what he loved, leading programming and database management at several businesses and federal government agencies, including DataWorld, Apptis, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Postal Service.
He loved adventure and became a private pilot like his father, sometimes flying to Pendleton County and landing on farmland outside of Franklin. He explored Pendleton County’s caves, rafted West Virginia’s wild waters, rappelled off cliffs, bungee jumped off bridges, and RV’d around the Southwest.
He was passionate about classical music, Corvettes, cycling, Boston Terriers (and dogs in general), Mexican food, Led Zeppelin, and the New York Yankees.
He loved to work with wood and build things, and he picked up where his father and grandfather left off restoring and residing for some time in “The Cabin” at Trout Rock, where he replaced the swinging bridge that crosses the South Branch River.
He served as director of the Franklin Moose 769.
In his last years, he fell in love and developed a close relationship with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He spent many hours each day studying the Bible when he wasn’t adventuring in the beautiful mountains of Virginia with his wife and stepchildren.
He loved serving and spent hours at Bridge Christian Church in Virginia and at Walnut Street United Methodist Church in Franklin, where he volunteered his time and gifts as treasurer.
He leaves behind his loving wife, Sherril; stepsons, Dillon Stinnett, Aris Perez-Odom, and Yeriel (Gigi) Rodriguez-Odom; a sister, Julie (Gil); a brother, Bert (Margaret); nephews, Alex, Martin, and James; cousin, Eddie, and his other beloved Sites cousins; close friends, Chris and Penny Lambert and Brian Heasley; former wife, Jean; and a pack of loyal friends who enjoyed his love of fun and sense of humor, his kindness, and the pleasure of sitting on the cabin’s porch, watching the river flow.
He was also preceded in death by his cousins, Herbert Lee Sites and Marsha Sites Hibbs; and his former wife, Wanda.
The family will receive friends at noon on Saturday at the Basagic Funeral Home in Franklin. A memorial service will follow at 1 p.m. with interment at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Franklin.
Memories and words of comfort may be left at www.basagic.com.
