Henry Verne Browne (Buddy), age 93, a resident of Lancaster, Texas, passed away on Tuesday evening, August 13, 2013, at the Veteran's Administration Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He was a loving husband, father, auto mechanic, cattle farmer, and church elder. Henry was born on June 19, 1920, in Ponca City, Oklahoma, the son of Henry Verne Browne and Gertrude Vermeil Waggoner, a housewife, of Tonkawa, Oklahoma. After the untimely death of his father, his mother married John P. White and the family moved in 1930 to the family farm in Hutchins, Texas. Henry was a 1937 graduate of Wilmer-Hutchins High School. Henry excelled in mechanical skills and baseball, playing on local baseball teams. After graduation in 1937, Henry began work as an auto mechanic at C.S. Hamilton Motor Company in Dallas, Texas, a relationship with Chrysler Corporation which continued for 50 years until his retirement in 1987. Henry enlisted in the United States Army Air Force on September 4, 1941. He received airplane and engine mechanics training and received specialized training on P-38 fighters from Lockheed. He participated in action in North Africa and Italy. After his tour of duty overseas was completed, he was rotated back to Peterson Field, Colorado Springs, Colorado, for the duration of his military service, being honorably discharged on September 5, 1945. After discharge, Henry moved back to Dallas and resumed work with C.S. Hamilton Motor Company. He met Mary Louise Marek on a blind date with family friends and married her on October 12, 1946, a marriage lasting 58 years until her death on April 22, 2004. Children born to this union were a daughter, Cynthia Ann (September 18, 1949 - March 3, 1995) and a son Robert Vern Browne (born February 7, 1953). On January 1, 2005, Henry married Lorine Marie Lind (Skupa) of Colorado Springs, whom he had met during the war while stationed at Peterson Field. They were married for 8 years until her death on January 2, 2013. They were a great help to each other in their later years. He greatly enjoyed farming before and after his retirement. He was a member of the First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, Lancaster, Texas, serving as a Deacon, Elder, Elder Emeritus, and Board Chairman. He will be best remembered for his love of family, friends, and church, and his loving care for his dogs, cats, and Black Angus cattle herd. He is survived by his son, Robert Browne (Susie) of Midlothian, Texas; grand-daughters Jennifer Carter of Boston, Massachusetts and Hillary Carter of Fort Worth, Texas; his brother Martin's son, nephew Dr. Lewis Browne, MD (Charlene) of Longview, Texas; nieces Carolyn (Marek) Mikeal (O.D.), of Kaufman, Texas, Sandra (Brecheen) Money (Wayne), of Greenville, Texas, Pamela (Brecheen) Isom (John), of Nevada, Texas, Jo Ann (Skupa) McRobbie (David), of Grand Junction, Colorado; and nephews David Marek (Margie), of Coppell, Texas, Jerry Marek (Diana), of Mesquite, Texas. Surviving brother-in-laws include Robert Marek of Kaufman, Texas, Jerry Marek (Rose), of Kaufman, Texas, Richard Skupa (Eula), of Littleton, Colorado, Duane Skupa (Carolyn), of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Ronald Skupa (Val), of Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is survived by sister-in-law Louise Marek of Kaufman, Texas. Henry is also survived by several great-nephews and great-nieces. A visitation will be held at 12:00PM on Tuesday, August 20, 2013, followed with funeral services at 2:00PM, at The First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, 750 West Main, Lancaster, Texas. Graveside services will follow at Edgewood Cemetary, Lancaster, Texas.
Published in Dallas Morning News on August 18, 2013