William Harold Browning Jr.

William Harold Browning Jr. died in Amarillo on October 4, 2015, at the age of 66. Services were held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 7, 2015, in the Vega Church of Christ with Brad Thompson officiating. Graveside service will be at 1:00 p.m. in Clarendon at Citizens Cemetery.

Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.

William Harold Browning Jr. (Bill), the fourth child and first son of Harold and Naveta Browning, was born December 28, 1948. Bill grew up on a farm west of Vega. As soon as he was old enough to do farm work, he worked for his dad doing the many chores associated with farm life. Bill attended school in Vega all 12 years and graduated from Vega High School in 1967. He was an outstanding football player in high school. As a senior, Bill played on Vega’s first regional championship team. (This was the equivalent of today’s state championship). Bill was also very active in Future Farmers of America and received the American Farmer Degree which is the highest award given by the FFA. He was the first student at Vega High School to receive this award.

After high school graduation Bill went to Amarillo Junior College and then Cooke County Junior College in Gainesville, Texas. He then transferred to West Texas State University in Canyon.

He married Susan Simmons on December 20, 1969. After their marriage, they lived in Bushland where they farmed. Bill and Susan moved to Frederick, OK in 1980 were they continued to farm until 1994. In 1986, Susan started Show String, which was a monogramming business. After Bill quit farming, he spent more time helping with the monogramming business. Bill and Susan traveled all over the country with the Show String Monogramming Company. In 2004 Bill and Susan moved back to Bushland. Bill worked for Robinson Construction, a contractor in Amarillo, until he suffered a heart attack in 2007. They moved to Amarillo in 2008 where he has resided until his death. Bill was a member of the Vega Church of Christ.

Bill was a man who loved John Wayne and The Dallas Cowboys. He valued hard work and was a source of support and encouragement to his family and friends. He was a master of orneriness. He loved a good joke and playing jokes on people. Bill had the most joyful laugh: deep and boisterous. Above all he had an intense love for family. He instilled in his family a determination and desire to love those around them. He survived a massive heart attack for eight years because he was a fighter. That fight ended with the ultimate peace. He left this earth to be with Jesus.

He is survived by his wife Susan Carol Browning and three children, William Harold Browning III (Trace) and wife Cindy, Julie Suzanne Stone and husband Jeb and John David Browning and wife Dina; eight grandchildren, Brooke Browning, William Harold Browning IV, Levi Browning, Sasha Stone, Kayla Browning, Abbigail Browning, Jayson Browning, and Henry Browning; and four siblings, Sue Thompson, Patty Browning, Tippy Browning and Sam Browning and his wife Linda; by brothers-in-law David Simmons and wife Tamyra and Chris Simmons and wife Lynda, and sister-in-law Dana Herrell and husband John. He is also survived by a multitude of nieces and nephews who loved him dearly.

His parents, Harold and Naveta Browning, brother-in-law, Marvin Thompson, nephew Lynn Thompson and his wife’s parents, John and Sara Simmons, precede him in death.

The family suggests memorials to The Hali Project and BSA Hospice.