The sun rises over a lake in Southeast Asia. Portrait of Kathleen Braughton. IMB Photo
Muriel Kathleen Braughton, an International Mission Board missionary emeritus who shared the gospel in Malaysia and the Philippines, died June 7, 2025. She was 86.
Kathie was born July 17, 1938, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to the late Grover Clevland Blount and Florence Orline Blount. She graduated from Mabelvale (Arkansas) High School, and attended Ouachita Baptist College in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.
She married Thurman Braughton on Dec. 22, 1957. After completing seminary, Thurman was called to pastor a German church in Gatesville, Texas. Two years later, they began driving to Antlers, Oklahoma, on weekends to help with Westside Baptist Mission and eventually moved there full time in 1965. Both she and Thurman sensed a strong leading to foreign mission work.
While seeking missionary appointment she wrote, “During my senior year at Mabelvale High School, I became serious with God and changed from being afraid to know God’s will to being afraid I would miss God’s will. That summer as I prepared to attend Ouachita Baptist College, God spoke to me in an unmistakable way to show me that I was to be a missionary.”
In 1967, the International Mission Board appointed Thurman and Kathie missionaries to Malaysia. They also served in the Philippines. While overseas, they led Bible studies, planted churches and opened their home as a place of discipleship and encouragement.
Kathie was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Thurman Braughton; her children, Joel Braughton, Dan Braughton and Carol Duncan.
She is survived by her son Sam Braughton (Paula) of Plano, Texas; daughters-in-law Tanni Braughton and Melissa Braughton; son-in-law Royce Duncan; nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
A funeral service was held June 13 at Smith Family Funeral Home in Hot Springs, Arkansas, with burial at Memorial Gardens.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Lottie Moon Offering, IMB, 3806 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA 23230, or online at Generosity Resource Center – IMB Generosity.
Read an obituary here.
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