Roger and Ave Bransford's paths first crossed when they were kindergartners, and they never strayed far from each other, according to the Atlanta Constitution.

The schoolmate sweethearts married. Natives of Chatham N.J., they moved to Sandy Springs, Ga., planted roots and raised three sons - Jess, Mike and Steve.

Mr. Bransford, 52, managing director of Watson Wyatt Investment Consultants in Atlanta and a specialist in pension-plan investments, left Atlanta Wednesday for business meetings with Cincinnati clients and was en route Thursday to similar meetings in Battle Creek, Mich. He joined Watson Wyatt in February 1996.

''He was one of the few people, I think, who truly had balance in his life,'' said Perry Johnson, a Watson Wyatt director. ''He gave tremendously to his family, he gave tremendously to his church, to his work, to his community and to various other charitable-type functions.

''He was very rich in all the things that all of us would like to be rich in.''

Mr. Bransford was active in Little League and in his children's school. He also was former chairman of the board of Camp Dudley in West Point, N.Y.

He was the kind of booster who never missed a home football game and stayed on as public address announcer even after the last of his sons had graduated about five years ago, the Rev. James L. Hartnett, S.M., president of the school, told the Constitution Friday.

Said his wife: ''He was my best friend for 47 years.''

''Roger's got a strong family,'' Mr. Johnson said. ''He left them well-equipped to face this tragedy. But it's going to hard. That house is going to feel empty for a long time.''