George Brady

Dec. 27, 1920 to Feb. 3, 2008

Funeral services for George Clark Brady (Col., U.S.A.F, Ret.) were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Wharton Funeral Home with Rev. Don Hurley officiating. Cremation followed the service. A military burial will be conducted at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Brady died Feb. 3, 2008 at a Sugar Land hospital following a brief illness. He was born Dec. 27, 1920 in Houston to the late William Earl Brady and Lillian Mae Clark Brady.

He was reared in Houston and Fort Worth and attended schools in those two cities. Mr. Brady joined the Texas National Guard as a cavalryman in 1938. He married Victory Norma Potts on July 20, 1939 and she preceded him in death on Dec. 31, 2001, after 62 years of marriage. When World War II began, he was in Co. A of the 124th U.S. Cavalry. All cavalry units were disbanded and he chose to join the U.S. Army Air Corps and qualified for Officer Candidate School. Brady became a B-17 pilot flying 37 missions over Germany with the 8th Air Force, 388th Bomber Group.

After the war, the couple moved to Wharton and Mr. Brady joined his father in the insurance business. He joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve and became a member of the American Legion in 1947, was a life member of the VFW since 1947, a charter life member of the Military Officers Association of America, life member of the Texas Military Forces Museum at Camp Mabry, life member of the Reserve Officers Association of the United States since 1948, is on the American Air Museum Founders' Registry of Honor and earned a Cold War Recognition Certificate.

He served the community and county in many capacities. Mr. Brady served for 37 years on the Wharton Airport Board and was chairman in 1994, he was a director of the Wharton Industrial Foundation, Wharton Independent School District Board president, served on the Wharton City Council from 1951 to 1959 and was president and mayor pro-tem from 1958 to 1959. He also served on the City Planning Commission, was a charter member of Wharton Country Club and its president in 1965 and 1966, was municipal judge from 1994 to 95, was named Citizen of the Month by the Chamber of Commerce in 1959, received the Wings of Progress Award from the Wharton Industrial Foundation in 1976, was Wharton County Deputy in 1971, was a contributor to the founding of the Wharton County Historical Museum and 20th Century Technology Museum.

Mr. Brady had been a Mason since 1947, a Shriner since 1952, belonged to Lions Club International since 1947 and served as president of Wharton Lions Club 1983 to 84 and was selected as a Melvin Jones Fellow of Lions Club International in 2007. He also served on the Board of Directors at Fort Bend Federal Savings and Loan Association from 1955 until its merger with Southwest Bank and continued to serve on an advisory committee until 2005.

Survivors include his daughter, Sue Lane McCulley and husband Tom of Bastrop; son, George William Clark "Bill" Brady and wife Karen of College Station; his sister, Joy Bentley and husband Joe of Wharton and their extended family; brother, William Earl Brady Jr. and wife Irma Jean of Palm Desert, Calif., and their extended family; his grandsons, Wesley Clark Brown, his wife Misty, and their son Jason Clark Brown and Stephen Lawrence Brown, his wife Kelly, and their children, Maygen Corinne Brown and Brady James Brown.

Honorary pallbearers were Travis Smith, Ken Turner, Bobby Kleas, Joe Bentley, Dan Sweeny and Bill Cline Sr.

The family requests that memorials be made to the Wharton Lions Club, P.O. Box 106, Wharton, TX 77488. at Powell Point Elementary School helping shape the lives of many children. Mrs. Braxton was married in holy matrimony to Rudolph Braxton on Dec. 29, 1934. In her husband she found a loving and devoted partner who lived in Kendleton and helped rear a number of children. These include Craig L. Braxton and Erma Jean Johnson, deceased. Preceding her in death are her parents; Rudolph, a devoted husband of 52 years; daughter, Erma Jean; two sisters; and a brother.

She leaves to cherish her memory Craig and Talita Braxton; grandchildren, Troy Johnson Sr. and wife Melissa, Rodney Braxton and wife Senora, Sean Johnson, Brent Braxton, Shellie Epharan and husband Nyle, Steve Thomas Jr., Theseous Thomas and Joseph Thomas; great-grandchildren, Tiffany, Troy II, Nia, Tory, Cory, Blake, Christie, Jackson and Myles; her nephew, Lorenza Butler Jr.; and a host of family and friends. Special mention to someone known as Little Francis whom Mother Frances loved as much as a daughter.

Funeral services are under the direction of Pierce Boone Funeral Home.