Samuel L. "Bud" Brayfield became an angel in Heaven at the age of 92, March 15, 2011. Bud was born in Springfield MO and lived in Osage Beach, MO for the past 18 years. His family and friends were a great source of joy for Bud. He entertained us with his great wit and endeared everyone with his charm and heart warming smile. The family is forever grateful to the nursing and support staff at Lake Regional Health System that offered him wonderful care through their professionalism and compassion. Dr. Grant Barnum, Dr. Andrew McKibben and Dr. John Patton provided wonderful care. He was a life long member of Phythian Baptist Church in Springfield MO. In his youth he excelled as an athlete. His boyhood friends called him Knuckle Ball' as his amazing floating knuckle ball pitch stifled many batters as they would count the seams' as it landed in the catcher's glove. Bud was an excellent golfer and won the Springfield Left Handed City championship in his youth . He continued to golf through the 2010 season. He became a WWII hero at the age of 21 surviving the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor December 7, 1941. Serving on the USS New Orleans, he fought in every major battle in the South Pacific Theater including battles of Coral Sea, Midway, Solomon Islands, Wake Island, Makin and Gilbert Island and attacks by enemy aircraft December 4-5 1943. Bud is survived by Martha his wife of 66 years; two children Stephanie B. Sandven of Westfork, Arkansas; Samuel "Buddy" Brayfield, D.O. of Linn Creek; Colleen Brayfield his daughter in law; grandchildren Martha Sandven, Freda "Frankie" Sandven, Jessica Hiestand, Joel Brayfield, Beau Brayfield, Alex Brayfield, Seth Brayfield; three great grandchildren Addie and George Hiestand and Selma Sandven. All are welcome to attend a family visitation at Harper Chapel in Osage Beach, MO 2-4pm Sunday March 20th. Graveside services will be at 1pm March 21, 2011 at Missouri Veteran's Cemetery in Springfield, MO. Further information is available by contacting Gorman Scharpf Funeral Home at 417 886 9994. In lieu of flowers donations are requested to Ozarks Honor Flight, c/o of Jamie Dopp, KY3, P.O. Box 3500, Springfield, MO.