Gene Autry Brownlee

On September 21, 1934, the now non-existent tiny town of Sugar Hill, Texas grew by one. Some folks say the ground might have even shook just a little. Gene Autry Brownlee was born on a Tuesday to William and Gladys Brownlee, their first child. He and his only sibling were raised in a world that no longer exists. The town was so poor, small, and secluded, they did not know the Great Depression was over until 1945, about the same time the community got electricity. And Gene would tell you it was the best world a boy could imagine.

Being so poor and removed, a young boy had the freedom to run the woods and use his imagination to make his own fun. Gene and his running mates did just that. Like the time he and buddy, Sheeny Blalock, snuck to the other side of the nearby pond one Sunday while a baptism was taking place. Gene thought it a good idea to launch a rock across the way, try to shake up the proceedings, and boy did it! The rock, aimed at the young boy about to take his first ceremonial dunking, caught the poor child right in the temple and he went down like, well, a rock. The uproar that came from the congregation thinking the young child had been touched by the Lord, along with the poor pastor thinking he had drowned the child, was enough for a good switchin’ later that day.

But things weren’t always so innocent and golden. First the family moved away from the idyllic Sugar Hill to Caddo Lake, near the ‘big’ city of Jefferson. Then unexpectedly Gladys passed from heart trouble when Gene was just fourteen, and his world changed forever. Little sister, Bernice, went to live with their mother’s sister. Gene was left to fend with his father in a new world of “city” kids, a world in which he felt he did not belong. He toughed it out for another year, but then that was the last year he attended school. Being tall and lanky, Gene passed for older than his years and was able to get a roughneck job in the oilfield at $1.25 an hour. As he said, he was in high cotton. During this time, he lived most days with his beloved Aunt Frances and spent probably too much time with his favorite uncle, Outlaw, a well-earned nickname from his bootlegging days, when Gene was his runner.

Working in the oilfield often took him across the state border into Louisiana, which is how he met a young slip of a girl attending business school in Shreveport. After a year of dating, Gene decided she was the one. He and Mary Jo Festervand married and began their long life together. They began their family in the town of Vivian, but followed the work to Texas in 1960, when they moved to Alvin where they lived for another six years. Being as dedicated to his job as he was to his family, Gene had learned every aspect of oil rigs and began moving up in the field and soon took a job with a new start-up company, Swaco, located in Liberty. The family of eight made the move in 1968. It was here he and Mary Jo lived out the rest of their years, and it proved to be a great jumping-off point for their many beach and camping adventures with their large brood. 

Gene grew up hunting every animal imaginable in the woods of East Texas and he was also an avid fisherman. He loved watching his Astros and Oilers, and equally rooted on his children and grandchildren in all their sports. He showed great love for his family, genuinely enjoyed spending time with his children, and seriously doted on all his grandkids and great grandkids. Every boy was his “Buddy” and every girl was “Pa’s Angel”. He and MawMaw took the grandkids on camping adventures just as they had with their own, teaching them how to fish, skip rocks, and watch to clouds go by.

Gene was also an excellent self-taught guitarist who instilled his love of music in his children. Chet Atkins was his favorite artist and one of his prized possessions was a beautiful Gretsch guitar designed by Atkins. The family spent many a night listening to Gene and his musician friends in the living room or out on the back porch. His musical skills and great singing voice were passed on to several of his children.

Once he retired from Swaco and not known for sitting still, Gene found himself at loose ends. What better way to while away the hours than to start your own small engine repair business, and thus began “Mr. Brownlys Lawn Repair”. If you weren’t in a hurry, Mr. Brownlee could fix just about anything. Very slow and methodical in his approach, he ran his business with the utmost pride just like he ran his life. Gene provided excellent, honest service until his old eyes and arthritic fingers could no longer handle the small hand tools, bolts, and screws. For a poor kid from a poor little town in deep East Texas who was self-taught in just about everything he did, he didn’t do too bad.

Gene Brownlee left this world peacefully in his sleep on October 25, 2024 at the age of 90. He was preceded to his heavenly home by his wife of 67 years, Mary Jo Festervand Brownlee; his parents, Wayne and Gladys Brownlee; and his sister, Juanita Bernice Ticer. He leaves behind his wealth of six children, seventeen grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren, four nieces, and many friends to forever cherish their memories of him: Dennis Brownlee of Liberty, children Justin Brownlee (wife Lynette) and Meghan Brownlee; Donna Haynes (husband Ernie) of Bryan, children Elizabeth Jeanes (husband Mike), Meridith Haynes, Emily Sheppard (husband Ben), and Melissa Campbell (husband Cameron); Dwight Brownlee (wife Deanna) of Hardin, children Lisa Mitchell (husband Darin), Steven Brownlee (wife Magan), and Lindsay Brownlee (partner Devin); David Brownlee (wife Rita) of Rincon, Georgia, children EJ Alley, and Ben Brownlee (wife Kathy); Danita Massey (husband Martin) of Liberty, children Bradley Massey (wife Carly), Patrick Massey, and Peter Massey (wife Vanessa); Delores Moore Huggins (husband Brent) of Liberty, children Mary-Frances Smith (husband Darren), Cliff Moore, and Seth Huggins (wife Lindsay); and fourteen great grandkids.

A memorial service will be held at the Hardin Baptist Church’s Family Life Center on Saturday, November 9, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. Friends are invited to join for fellowship, food, and fond memories in this Celebration of Life of a good man, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, Gene Autry Brownlee.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly suggests donations be made to Hardin Baptist Church in Hardin, Texas.