Brandon James Vealey

On Friday, May 1, 2020, Brandon James Vealey of Richmond, Virginia, passed away at the age of 36.

Brandon was born on January 27, 1984 to Charles and Kim Vealey. On June 12, 2015 he married the love of his life, Michael Alan DePhillip.

Brandon was preceded in death by his father, Charles; his paternal grandfather, Sherman Vealey; his maternal grandfather, James Bostic; his maternal grandmother, Patricia Jean Bostic; and his paternal uncle, Robert Jason "R.J." Vealey. He is survived by his husband, Michael; his mother, Kim; his brother and his husband, Jeremy Vealey and William Wallace; his sister and her husband, Amy Sales and Stephen Sales; and his paternal grandmother, Rosie Vealey; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Throughout his short life, Brandon amassed hundreds of friends. He was easy to love and be loved and had the enchanting ability to engage others and quickly make them lifelong friends. Brandon met people where they were and accepted all. The youngest of three, he developed a sensational sense of humor that gained him early attention. As an adult, his unique wittiness placed him squarely in the spotlight, a place he lovingly utilized to become friends with people from all walks of life. He was quick to insert a quip or to quote a movie or song into conversation, leaving anyone around with side stitches caused by painfully joyous laughing. Brandon had a deep love of photography. His personal style captured angles, patterns, color, and contrast. He loved family photos and was the unofficial photo archivist of the family. Rather than offer a verbal or written response, Brandon would often use a photo to communicate a point, feeling, or, in Brandon style, just to make everyone laugh. Brandon loved music, and each celebration, family event, or personal goal in his life had its own specialized playlist. Brandon loved entertaining and welcomed all to a uniquely fabulous time with him. His signature colors were silver, gold, and white, and anyone who came to his home was surrounded by his welcoming spirit and a regal feeling, both a result of the attention to detail that Brandon put into making each event or simple visit simply marvelous. He was the epitome of the phrase he coined, "Vealey Fabulous."

He was known for his infectious smile and humor and his kind and compassionate spirit. Brandon loved his work as an interior designer, and he lit up the room with his joy and selfless generosity. His style, humor, and hospitality touched everyone who knew him. He was beloved by his family and friends and will sorely be missed.

A drive-in celebration of Brandon’s life will be conducted at 2:00 p.m., Friday, May 22, 2020 in the parking lot of the Chester Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home. While in the parking lot, please visit www.jtmorriss.com to watch a live stream of the service. The family will greet friends following the service. Friends will drive through the portico for a brief exchange of condolences with the family. Also, please consider visiting the funeral home website or calling into the funeral home to leave a Hug from Home signifying your attendance at the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the VCU Massey Cancer Center. Even in death, Brandon preferred for donations to be made to help others at the facility that helped his father during his battle with pancreatic cancer.
To donate, visit support.vcu.edu/give/Massey and select that “This gift is a tribute,” then select “In memory of,” and enter “Brandon James Vealey.”