Sam P. Braswell of Kerrville

Sam P. Braswell of Kerrville, passed away Sunday, February 8, 2004, at his residence.

Mr. Braswell was born March 17, 1910, in Dallas.  He moved to Clarendon during World War I where his father, Sam M. Braswell, published a newspaper for many years.  After graduating from high school, he attended Clarendon College and the University of Texas.  At the University of Texas, he played collegiate baseball and tennis.  One of the most memorable baseball games was a scrimmage against Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees.

On August 10, 1930, Sam P. married Cecelia Atteberry.  Their son Sam Harben Braswell was born July 16, 1931, in Pampa.  In the fall of 1936, the Braswell family moved to Kerrville and joined the production staff at the Kerrville Mountain Sun, owned by Mrs. W.A. Salter.  Sam P. was employed in Kerrville until 1941.

In 1941, Sam and Cecelia moved to Winnsboro to operate the Winnsboro Weekly News in the absence of the publisher, who was called to serve our country during World War II.  In 1944, the Braswells had an opportunity to purchase the Coleman Democratic-Voice newspaper.  So they were on the move again.  In 1947, they converted the weekly paper to a daily newspaper.

Succumbing to the desire to return to the Hill Country in 1948, the Braswells purchased a co-ownership interest with G. Rankin Starkey in the Kerrville Times.  Three years later in March of 1951, the paper was converted from a weekly paper to a daily newspaper, going to the name it is known as today, The Kerrville Daily Times.  The Braswell interest in The Times was sold in 1955.

Sam P. Braswell became The Victoria Advocate’s (Texas’ second oldest newspaper) associate manager for the first five years.  During this time, his wife Cecelia served in the advertising department.

Returning to Kerrville in 1960, the family purchased the Fine Printing Co. from Haskell Fine and constructed a building on Junction Highway to house the expanding business.  The name was changed to Braswell Printing Company and now is known as ADCO Advertising and Printing owned by Sam H. and Betty Braswell.

In 1977, Sam enjoyed the next 12 years in Chas. Schreiner Bank in downtown Kerrville as their public relations representative while Cecelia was employed in the advertising department and helped with the Schreiner Ladies Club.

Sam enjoyed a minor role in politics when the late Texas Governor Allan Shivers appointed the elder Braswell to a seven-member task force to develop what is now known as the Texas Commission on Higher Education.  He was an associate to the former State Representative and Texas Railroad Commissioner Jim Nugent as well as a Kerr County consultant and a friend of President Lyndon Baines Johnson.

Survivors include his wife of 73 years, Cecelia Braswell; a son, Sam Harben Braswell and his wife Betty Jean of Kerrville; three grandchildren: Samuel Lynn Braswell and his wife Rebecca Ann of San Antonio/Kerrville; Carol Denise Bernhard and her husband Robert Carlton of Austin; and Robin Aileen Perrin and her husband John Eric of Birresdorf, Germany; a niece, Margaret Woods of Youngstown, Ohio; and six great grandchildren: Samuel Taylor Braswell, Andrew Phillip Braswell, Megan Leigh Brenhard, Ryan David Perrin, Ashton Elise Perrin, and Emma Renee Perrin.

Services were held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 12, 2004, at Grimes Funeral Chapels in Kerrville.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Grimes Funeral Chapels of Kerrville.