Branden Patrick Green, 43, of Hardyville, had his life unjustly taken from him at work on December 11, 2025. Born September 3, 1982 in Jamestown, N.Y., he was raised by his mother, Deborah Muoio, and father, Harold Green.

Branden enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2001 after earning his B.S. from Cornell University and was commissioned as an officer. He served a combat tour in Afghanistan from 2010-2012, shortly after becoming a Captain and completing his M.S. from California University of Pennsylvania. Honorably discharged in 2013, his final assignment was Commander of a Warrior Transition Unit. He continued serving veterans and active-duty members as a scuba instructor, Program Manager for Adaptive Reconditioning, and Performance Center Manager for the Ready and Resilient Program, while also working as a Trainmaster on Louisiana railroads. At the time of his passing, Branden was Executive Director of Tri-River ASAP and nearing completion of his Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership at Liberty University, which was awarded posthumously.

Branden’s life, however, should not be remembered for his impressive list of accomplishments, but instead, by the way he went about achieving them. Although he was self-determined, he was incredibly selfless and kind. People could rely on him, and he liked to be relied on. And while he was never the loudest person in the room, he may have been the funniest. Not seeking the spotlight, his easy-going nature fooled many a spectator as he’d quietly inject the darkest joke at the perfect time, every time.

A modern-day Renaissance Man, Branden did it all; and if he couldn’t, his incredible curiosity would lead him to learn it, all of it, completely. He could fix a vending machine, rebuild a hard drive, flip a house, and tell you about the meaning behind the Earl of Sandwich. If you ever needed a hand-crocheted quilt or a 3D printed AAA battery holder, Branden was your man.

He loved animals, cycling, geocaching, cooking, and music, to name a few. Branden loved decorating for holidays and making gifts by hand. He loved making people feel at ease and secure, but he also loved acknowledging an awkward silence. He never met a stranger.

Above all else, Branden loved his wife, Samantha Romero, who survives him in Hardyville. He married his often declared ‘favorite person’ on October 30, 2017. Branden adored Samantha and was not one to hold back from bragging about her equally matching Renaissance-like abilities. Branden lived for Sam, in everything that he did.

Branden is also survived by his parents and five siblings of Jamestown, N.Y.; he was preceded in death by a sister.

Locally, friends will be received for Branden’s memorial at Good Luck Cellars, 1025 Goodluck Road, Kilmarnock, Va. 22482, on January 18, 2026, from 12 p.m.-4 p.m.