FELTON PALMER "PETE" BRASHIER, JR., 74, was
born on March 30, 1922, lifelong resident of Ranger,
TX & died Nov. 24, 1996, in an automobile accident
near San Angelo, TX. He was a graduate of Ranger High
School and Baylor University in 1943. Mr. Brashier
served as a gunnery instructor in the U.S. Navy Air
Corp. Mr. Brashier joined his father & grandfather
in Ranger Furniture Exchange in 1946 and worked there
until his retirement in 1989. He married Betty Hudgins
in Wharton, TX, in March of 1946. They celebrated
their 50th Anniversary in 1996. His sister was Nancy
Brashier Davidson (RHS-1924).
WIFE: BETTY ANN HUDGINS BRASHIER", 99, passed
this life, peacefully, on Jan. 21,2026 in Fort Worth,
TX after a short illness.
A memorial service will be held at 3 pm, Saturday,
January 31st, at Ridglea Country Club in Fort Worth,
officiated by Dr. Nathan Tucker. Please RSVP to
tbrashier@gmail.com. Burial will be at Evergreen
Cemetery in Ranger at a later date.
Betty was born in Hungerford, Wharton County, TX to
Alexander Green & Lora Hardeman Hudgins. She spent
her childhood in Hungerford, TX. Her father passed
away when she was 4 years old. She was raised by her
mother who was Postmaster in Hungerford.
Betty graduated from Wharton High School, then began
studies at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
While attending SMU she met her future husband, Felton
Palmer “Pete” Brashier, who was serving as a Naval
aviator at Grand Prairie. They married in Hungerford
in 1946, and were married 50 years until Pete’s passing
in a car accident. They moved to Ranger after their
marriage and together they built a great life together.
They raised three sons, Felton Alex Brashier (RHS-1965),
Thomas Andrew Brashier (RHS-1967) & Richard Palmer Brashier
(RHS-1975).
Betty faithfully served as the organist for 50 years at
the First Baptist Church in Ranger. She was active in
civic life in Ranger and was a founder in the 1947 Club.
Betty served as a member of the Ranger Hospital Board.
She was known as an excellent bridge player. In addition,
Betty had the reputation as the best cook in town. She
had a recipe for hot yeast rolls that was famous. Betty
once cooked rolls for the Thanksgiving banquet at the
church. Many of her recipes were published in a cookbook
by three girls who learned some of their cooking skills
from Betty.
Betty & Pete spent their retirement years traveling to
many places around the world. They also took trips to
Wharton and Ruidoso to visit. After Pete passed away,
she spent 18 years in Sun City in Georgetown, then
moved to Fort Worth, where she lived another nine years
independently near her sons. She was a member of the
Arborlawn Methodist Church in Fort Worth.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents, her son Alex,
and her sister Leanora Shannon and four brothers, Hal,
Hardeman, Ritchie and Donald. She was also preceded by
her oldest grandchild, Lindsay Ann Brashier (RHS-1996).
Betty is survived by her sons, Tommy Brashier, & his wife,
Patty, and Richard Brashier of Fort Worth. Her grandchildren
Rachel and Wesley Eustis of New Orleans, Allison and James
Dearman of Aledo. Barrett and Bryce Brashier of Burleson,
Andy Brashier of Austin. Great-grandchildren Emma Grace
Eustis, Eloise Betty Eustis, Carwyn Rhys Eustis, Franny
Ilene Eustis, of New Orleans. Abigail Jean Dearman and
Claire Ann Dearman of Aledo. Beau Palmer Brashier and
Callan Graham Brashier of Burleson. Former daughter-in-
law, Jill Baker of Georgetown.
Betty is also survived by two nephews, Don Alex and wife
Debbie Shannon of Boston, MA and Joel Ingram Shannon and
wife Margaret of Aspen, CO, two nieces, Donna Lue Harkey
of Fort Worth, Pam and Orban Winton of Socorro, NM.
Memorials may be made to a charity of your choice in her
name.
Men honored for icy rescue of Ranger residents
By Roy A. Jones II (Senior Staff Writer) (04/05/1997)
RANGER - Four men who waded into icy water to rescue four
elderly Ranger residents from drowning in their overturned
car have been honored by the Texas Department of Public
Safety.
James Vaughn, David Gentry and Martin DeLaGarza, all of
Bronte, and Bruce Vaughn of Midland received the DPS
Director's Award.
The rarely-given award is the civilian equivalent of the
Director's Citation which is given to active duty troopers
who perform acts above and beyond the regular call of duty,
a DPS official said. It is the highest such award given
to civilians.
The men were nominated for the award by DPS Trooper Roy
Blair of Robert Lee because of their heroic actions last
Nov. 24.
About 10:30 a.m. that day, the five Ranger residents were
northbound on U.S. 277 in Coke County under extremely
hazardous weather conditions, Blair said. The temperature
was below freezing, snow was blowing, and the road was snow
packed with patches of ice.
Five miles south of Bronte, the car driven by Felton Palmer
Brashier, 74, slid out of control, crossed the southbound
lane, struck a culvert and dropped about 10 feet into a
creek. The vehicle landed upside down in about two feet of
icy water.
Brashier apparently died instantly from crash injuries. His
four passengers survived the crash but were hanging upside
down from their safety belts and in danger of drowning as
the frigid water ran into the car.
DeLaGarza was on his way to San Angelo and the Vaughns and
Gentry were returning from feeding livestock when they came
up on the accident scene. Without regard for their own safety,
they immediately entered the water and cut or loosened the
seat belts of the victims, and carried them to safety.
Brashier's wife, Betty, was found unconscious and not breathing.
Bruce Vaughn performed CPR on her until she began breathing.
She was admitted to Shannon Hospital in San Angelo in serious
condition, but survived.
Elva Larson, 94, also was seriously injured, but also survived.
Less seriously injured were Dorothy Beames, 72, and Robert
Nuwnham, 71.
Major Lee Smith of Midland, regional DPS commander, presented
the awards to the four men earlier this week. Had they not
come along when they did and braved the frigid water the
accident would likely have claimed five lives instead of
one, he said.
The four men said they didn't consider themselves heroes,
but that they just "happened to be there and did what we
could."