Charles Edward Bracewell

Charles Bracewell of Orlando, Florida, passed away on January 13, 2024 at the age of 82.

He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, a great story teller, encourager, mentor, and teacher. He was a real life hero and will be dearly missed by the many friends and family who knew him.

Charles was born in Orlando, on November 7, 1941 to H.L. and Lessie Bracewell, and when he was in first grade, his family moved to Dublin, Georgia. They later returned to Orlando where Charles graduated from Edgewater High School. He earned a Bachelor's degree from Tennessee Temple College in Chattanooga, TN, where he met Carol Lea Sutfin. They were married in February of 1966. In May of 1967, they were blessed with a daughter, Carol Christine who we all call "Chrissy."

Charles was the third of seven children, and the oldest of five brothers and worked hard from a young age. When he was only 12 years old, he drove a truck delivering lumber for his father's business. Later Charles and his brother Louie served together in the Marine Corp Reserves, surviving basic training at Parris Island. Charles was always proud of successfully avoiding having to go through tear-gas exposure training a second time. (Ask one of his grandkids. They'll tell you the story.)

Charles worked, at different times, for each of the area's major fire fighting organizations. He was one Orlando's first paramedics, and beginning in 1971, he served for 16 years on the City of Orlando Fire Department, retiring in 1988. He then served for 15 years with Winter Park Fire Department, where he again retired, this time as Captain of Emergency Medical Services. In the early 2000's, He returned to service as a fire inspector for the Orange County Fire Marshalls Office for three years.

Over the course of his career he saved hundreds of lives and cared for countless people in the midst of the worst experiences of their lives. He also taught hundreds of others how to do the same thing.

Charles was a gifted teacher and served as a preceptor and mentor to many other firemen. Charles was a highly entertaining instructor. He brought his decades of experience in real-world lifesaving into the classroom. Throughout his career, he taught Advanced Cardiac Life Support to medical professionals and EMS classes at the Central Florida Fire Academy and Mid-Florida Tech. After retirement, working with the American Heart Association and his friends Jef Walker and Tod Meadors, he trained hundreds of people, including doctors and nurses, to do CPR.

Throughout his career, he was an anti-smoking crusader, which often got him in trouble with his fellow firemen. He was also very concerned to see that AEDs, Automatic Electronic Defibrillators, become as readily available as fire extinguishers.

Charles always carried a well-stocked first aid kit in his car. Many times in his off hours, Charlie and his family would come upon a serious car accident or encounter someone out in public in physical distress. God seemed to divinely orchestrate these encounters, to make sure people got the help they needed when they needed it most.

When he wasn't putting out fires, saving lives, and teaching, he found the time to become a certified scuba diver and earn his pilot's license. (Ask Chrissy about her "stalling the plane" story) He was also a licensed contractor who built and oversaw the construction of numerous houses and commercial buildings.

Charles was a great storyteller, telling stories of his childhood (ask about shooting ducks with his brothers), his time in the Marine Reserves (ask about how he hid cereal packets to eat between meals) and his time as a firefighter EMT/Paramedic (Ask one of us about the Brave Little Fire Bucket.)

He was also a great subject of many other people's stories. If you're around anyone who has known Charles for very long, there will come a moment when they smile, laugh and say something along the lines of "I could tell you some great stories about Charles!"

And not only was he a member of the healthcare provider community, he was also a client. His numerous accidents, slip-ups and injuries surely provided many young first responders and hospital staff with stories of their own to tell!

Charles loved to cook, and he often did so for his hearty crew of firefighters and for his family on holidays. His recipe for Oatmeal cookies was published in the Orlando Sentinel in 1991. He was famous, also, for his rice crispy treats and pecan pies! (His daughter Chrissy has learned to duplicate these very well!)

Charles was an active member of Brush Arbor Baptist Church in Orlando, and was at the church every time the doors were open. He sang in the choir and in men's quartets, occasionally directed congregational singing, and was a member of the men's Sunday School class led by John McDonald. He was also very involved in the Christian Business Men's Association and attended their Thursday morning meeting as long as his health allowed.

Charles loved his wife Carol, and worked his whole life to make sure she was supported and cared for. He once rescued her from a raging wildfire that destroyed all of their earthly possessions, and practically rebuilt the house they moved into after the fire. Charles was constantly going to bat for Carol with insurance companies and her doctors and worked tirelessly to get her the treatments she needed in her battle with cancer, even as he began his own struggle with Parkinson's disease.

But, the most important thing in Charles' life was telling others about Jesus. He faithfully shared the Good News with his fellow firemen and just about anyone else he was around for very long. He was often mocked for his faith by people who later ended up trusting in Jesus because of his witness to them. During his last months, he consistently witnessed to his caregivers and to other patients..

Charles loved Jesus more than anything in the world, and he would want you to know that you, too, can have peace with God and know you are going to Heaven by putting your faith in Jesus. Charlie would tell you that all of us have sinned and fallen short of God's standard but God showed his love for us and even though we were sinners, Christ died for us. He would tell you that no matter who you are, or what you have done, that "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved!" If you have never done this, Charlie is in Heaven right now rooting for you put your trust in Jesus!

Charles was preceded in death by his parents, H.L. and Lessie Bracewell and his brothers Louie and Gerry Bracewell.

He is survived by his wife Carol, his sisters Evelyn Nichols and Imogene Nichols, his brothers David and Steve, and daughter Chrissy Owens, her husband Tyler Owens and their children Melissa, Rebecca, Sam, Michael, William, Ben, Andrew and Anna, and by his nephew Danny Bracewell, who he loved like a son, Danny's wife Dalia and their children Brittaney, Lauryn, Dana and Natalie.

The family is especially grateful to Kevin and Linda Kress, Aaron and Melissa Wicks, Jef and Judy Walker, the numerous members of the firefighter community and Brush Arbor Baptist Church who have supported them through this time.

The funeral will be held at Brush Arbor Baptist Church on January 29. The family will receive friends at 10 AM and the service will be held at 11 AM. A committal service will follow at 2 PM at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Brush Arbor Baptist Church missionary fund.

To share your memories of Charles or leave a special message of condolence for his family please visit the guestbook below.