Roll Call Tribute

Tres Hewell Mortuary obituary
165 Tor Drive
Seguin, Texas 78155
(830) 549-5912

Lester Brawner
Born: March 05, 1932
Died: January 25, 2015

On the morning of January 25, 2015, Lester Lee Brawner passed away peacefully in his home in Seguin, Texas. His final days were surrounded by family and loved ones. He was 82 years old. 

Lester was born in Seguin, Texas on March 5, 1932 to Samuel Pryor and Mary Emelia Mondin Brawner. He was the 3rd son of 4 children. 

Lester was born and raised in a sharecropper’s shack outside of Seguin, Texas and grew up playing with his older brothers Gene and Ed while his father drove a milk truck, and his mother Mary kept house. He attended the Tieman School, Mary B. Erskine and eventually Seguin High School. After graduating high school, Lester went to Texas A&M in College Station, and spent his time in the Corps of Cadets and working in the dining hall to help pay for school. He occasionally hitch-hiked between Seguin and College Station to get back and forth between school and home. In 1953, he graduated from A&M with a degree in Accounting. He then served as a lieutenant in the Artillery Division of the US Army and was stationed in Germany for 2 years. While in Germany he took advantage of the opportunities of being overseas and spent time travelling all over Germany and Italy. 

When he returned to Seguin, he started dating Mary Frances Leonard, and they married on December 15, 1956 and remained married for the next 58 years until his passing. He went to work as an accountant with his brother Ed, for a local accountant, Mr. Tapp, and eventually they started their own accounting firm of Brawner & Brawner. He was later joined in his business by his son Jordan who became a CPA, and Lester worked at Brawner & Brawner until his retirement a few years ago. 

Lester was active in the Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, and for several years served on the board of the Women’s Shelter (now the Guadalupe Family Violence Shelter). He also coached girls softball and boys little league baseball for many years. 

Lester loved spending time with his 5 children and 7 grandchildren and he loved to travel. He made several trips to Paraguay to visit his daughter Rebecca and grandchildren. He and Mary Frances went on a bird-watching tour in Costa Rica. He travelled to Athens and the Isle of Crete in Greece. He recently made his first trips to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks, and to Martha’s Vineyard for a family wedding. 

Lester was an avid gardener, and was locally famous for his home-grown tomatoes. He loved camping, hiking and casual hunting as long as it included family time and good food. He enjoyed a variety of board games and card games, particularly Hearts, Spades and Bridge. Lester and his wife participated in several bridge clubs over the years, and he made all of his children learn to play bridge so there would always be a foursome available. Lester also developed a proficiency for bird-watching over the years, a hobby he enjoyed with his wife, and passed onto some of this children. 

Lester was also quite the baker. He was known at family events for his breads, mouth-watering potato-split biscuits, and delicious cakes and pies. 

Most of all, Lester was a man of integrity, character, graciousness and hard work. He thought the best of people and gave them the benefit of the doubt. He had an infectious smile and a keen sense of humor, always ready with a joke and a laugh. 

Lester was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Edward Brawner, his sister-in-law Ann Brawner, his brother-in-law William Leonard and wife Elizabeth Leonard,. He is survived by his beloved wife Mary Frances Brawner, three sons: Brian and wife Roci Brawner, Jordan and wife Kate Brawner, Patrick Brawner, and two daughters Bonnie Brawner and Rebecca Brawner and wife Amy Boisaubin. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Jessica Brawner, Briana and husband John Garrison, Caleb Brawner, Kelsey Brawner, Colby Brawner, Hope Krummell, and Jazmin Krummell, along with his first great grandchild, Arthur Lee Garrison. Lester is also survived by his brothers, Eugene Brawner and Bruce Brawner, sister-in-law Lenoir and husband Jim Hilbert, and sister-in-law Dolores Brawner, along with numerous nephews, nieces, cousins, in-laws and friends. 

There will be a memorial visitation on Tuesday, January 27 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm at Tres Hewell Mortuary. The memorial service will be held on Wednesday, January 28 at 11:00 am at Christ Lutheran Church of Elm Creek, 
3305 Church Road, Seguin, Texas (830)303-4669. A reception following the service will be held in the Christ Lutheran Fellowship Hall. 

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Christ Lutheran Church of Elm Creek, Guadalupe Valley Family Violence Center (PO Box 1302, Seguin TX 78155. Website: http://www.safeseguin.org/1.html ), and the Christian Cupboard of Seguin (516 North Camp St., Seguin, TX 78155) 

The family extends its thanks and appreciation to the Guadalupe Valley Hospice Care and care-givers who provided such efficient and thoughtful attention to Lester and the Brawner family. 

Serving as honorary pall-bearers will be: Kelsey Brawner, Biffany Brawner Saucedo, Caleb Brawner, Colby Brawner, James Hilbert, Hope Krummell, Jazmin Krummell, Jeff Brawner, Tom Brawner, Lynn Glenewinkel, Charles Brush, Maurice Hilbert, Kenneth Wieding, Paul Fritz, Jessica Brawner, and Briana Garrison.