Edward R. "Eddie" Braden

Braden, Edward R. “Eddie” 65, a longtime resident of Birmingham, Alabama died on March 11, 2023, at his home in Shelby County. He was born in Birmingham at St. Vincent’s Hospital on November 28, 1957 to Ira Edward “Junior” Braden, Jr. and Margaret Elizabeth “Toni” Bosworth. He was a proud graduate of the University of Alabama Birmingham, with a Master’s Degree in Public Administration; he served on the UAB National Alumni Board and maintained a lifetime membership. He graduated from Vestavia Hills High School in 1976. Eddie is survived by his wife of 15 years, Kimberly Anne “Kimmie”, his son Nicholas D. Braden (Jackie); Levi Hardegree-Braden (Mason Lee), his granddaughters Brianna N. Braden (Joshua) and Samantha Rose Braden. He is also survived by his brothers, Danny Braden (Jenene); Mark Caton; and Beth Singletary (Jonathan); and his nephews Blake, Brad (Melissa) and Austin(Breanne) Braden and Clay Caton; all of central Alabama. He has great nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins from the Braden and Bosworth families. Eddie enjoyed his long law enforcement career for the past 47 years. Eddie began this journey at Pelham Police Department as a dispatcher, and later joined Hoover Police Department in 1983. Eddie spent 27 years with the City of Hoover, where he served as a patrol officer, corporal, sergeant and captain. In 1994, Eddie became the Executive Assistant to Mayor Skinner, while maintaining his APOST certification, and he became the first Public Safety Director of Hoover in 1997. Eddie truly was honored to serve and honored to have the opportunity to serve with Hoover Police Department and Fire Department which he had the utmost respect and confidence to this day. Eddie was extremely grateful to be selected to attend the FBI National Academy, Session 206, in the summer of 2001. Eddie retired from Hoover Police Department in 2003. Eddie began his second career as an Investigator with Alabama State Board of Pharmacy in April of 2003. Eddie was recruited to become the Chief of Investigators at the Alabama State Board of Pharmacy in 2015. He truly enjoyed his lifetime service to the city and citizens of Hoover, and the citizens of Alabama. He was supportive and encouraging to all who knew him. He was a dedicated team member and a dependable friend. My Eddie is remembered as a devoted husband, proud father, proud grandfather, and proud brother. Eddie was a friend for life, he never held a grudge and loved his family and friends with his whole being. Eddie was an active member of the MCJEA, a life member of the International Association of Chief’s of Police; a member of the FBI NAA, to include the Alabama Charter of the FBI NAA, and an annual supporter of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Eddie was a Lifetime Member of the UAB National Alumni Society; an avid UAB football and basketball fan that maintained club level season football tickets to support UAB. Friends will be received from 10 am to 12 pm on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at St. Mark The Evangelist Catholic Church, 7340 Cahaba Valley Road, Birmingham, AL 35242. A funeral Mass will be held following at 12:30 pm at St Mark, with final intermittent at the church Columbarium. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests any memorial gifts be made to the Edward R. Braden Memorial Endowed Scholarship in Criminal Justice at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Gifts can be mailed to UAB Gift Records, AB 1230, 1720 2nd Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35294-0112 or online at go.uab.edu/bradenmemorialscholarship.

Edward R. "Eddie" Braden

November 28, 1957 - March 11, 2023