With a college
friend he went to Alaska in the summer of 1957 to work for the
U.S. Park Service at the then Mt. McKinley National Park. His
favorite story, which everyone has heard, is how he and Johnny
picked 150 pounds of watermelons from a field and sold them on
the way to Alaska for gas money (his version is much longer!).
While in Alaska
he met his wonderful wife, Angie (she wrote this so it has to
be true!). They dated all summer, fell in love, and married the
following Feburary 20th, 1958 in one of the worst snow storms
in the past five years. This is a long story too, so I'll just
say 49 good years together. God is Good ! All the Time !!
Bob and Angie begain
living their married life in a trailer they had picked up from
the factory on their honeymoon - and soon God added a son, Kirk
Brannan, and a daughter, Kim Larson, to the family. It was a joy
watching them grow into God-fearing, family-loving adults - -
A true blessing from God.
When Bob began
working as a welder in Freeport, Texas, Angie and the kids wanted
to live at the beach - so began 25 years of living at Surfside
Beach, Texas and where he started three businesses - Long Beach
Construction, Shoreline Corporation, and Bra-Con Plumbing Supply
Company, while Angie owned and operated Brannan Reality and Property
Management Company.
They loved Surfside
Beach and during this time Bob served 8 years (1975 - 1982) as
their first Mayor, helped establish and build "The Anchor"
- First Baptist Church of Surfside, helped build the Volunteer
Fire Department, and served as a volunteer for years.
During the "Jesus
Movement" Bob and Angie housed college kids that ran the
coffee house at The Anchor each summer and became best friends
with their pastor, Bill Sims. Great fun time - and many young
people accepted the Lord during those years.
While on his first
mission trip back to Alaska Bob re-dedicated his life. He was
one of 120 Baptist Brotherhood Men repairing the damage to churches
and parsonages because of the floods in Fairbanks. As the only
couple with these 120 men, Bob and Angie slept in the Bapistry
while the men slept in the Auditorium of the First Baptist Church
- - the only church on high ground.
God blessed their
businesses and they were able to retire early and do the volunteer
Christian work they wanted to do.
Bob and Angie served
10 years as Directors of Project Ebenezer, a ministry of Missionaries
in Action, Inc. To serve in this ministry they lived in Miami,
Florida. God blessed them with many life-long friends from this
ministry.
They took work
teams from churches, colleges, and richer Caribbean Islands to
build clinics, churches, retreat centers, craft shops (to provide
jobs) and outdoor ovens in Haiti, Domenican Republic, Jamica,
St. Vincent, St. Lucius, Granada, etc.
At the same time
that they began with M.I.A. , Sam Rice, R.N. began his work of
the last 20 + years in Haiti. He became a spiritual son to them
as did Billy Proske and Mark Miles. They've been blessed to have
all three of these special young men in their lives.
When Sam wanted
to become independent so that he could have a broader ministry,
they formed Gospel Growers, Inc. to enlarge His/his ministry and
it has been a blessing the last five years. The ministry continues
to prosper with so much support from many of you here today.
After ten years
of working oversees Bob developed a heart problem, and as they
say in the Caribbean "The best medical help they have is
a plane ticket back to the U.S." - so home they went.
The next year,
while enjoying a Thanksgiving Retreat with their daughter and
her family at Pine Cove, they met an R.V.I.C.S. group working
a project there.
They liked all
they heard and read about Roving Volunteers In Christ's Service
and prayerfully decided that God could use their talents and gifts
serving with this ministry.
What a wonderful
ten years they have had. So many great evangelical ministries
all over the USA and they met and came to love so many Christian
friends from working 49 projects with so many great couples.
They have met and
loved some of their best friends today - Bob and Monie Midkiff
from West Virginia - Dave and Pat Peters from Minnesota - Gale
and Linda Hickman from Delaware - Don and Anne Beasley from Iowa
- Carmen and Dorothy Mangene from New York - T.C. Hunter from
Texas - and the list could go on forever, but time won't allow.
They just feel
blessed to have worked with so many and lived 10 years at R.V.I.C.S.
Village in Smithville with so many more Christian brothers and
sisters.
When they count
their blessings they can't help bragging on their "seven
perfect grandchildren" - Matthew Dearmond, Angela Hoover,
Elizabeth Dearmond, William Brannan, Stephanie Dearmond, Julie
Brannan, and Victoria Dearmond.
They have been
a joy and knowing that each of them love the Lord and are serving
Him with their lives makes them know the future is in good hands.
God has been gracious
to let them enjoy the birth of four great-grandchildren - Angela
& Jeremy Hoover have blessed them with Kahlea and Kailyn,
and Matt & Sharley Dearmond have blessed them with Tommy and
Mackenzie.
Bob often talked
of the great life God had given him. He felt blessed by the family,
friends, work, and ministry opportunities that gave him joy and
satisfaction. Where ever he served, he produced work he could
be proud of, enjoyed life, and lived it to the fullest.
~
Obituary ~
Bob Albert Brannan
departed for heaven to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
and the loved ones who have preceded him, on Saturday, October
27th, 2007.
Bob was born on
March 7th, 1934, in Mirando City, Texas, to J.H. and Ruby Brannan.
He was “born again” at 14 years of age while attending
First Baptist Church of Harlindale, Texas. He was currently an
active member of Trinity Baptist Church in Smithville, Texas.
Bob married Angela
Funderburg on February 20th, 1958, and they enjoyed 49 wonderful
years together.
Bob had a life
of service to his country and to his Lord. He served in the U.S.
Army for two years, served as mayor of Surfside Beach for eight
years and also served Surfside in the Volunteer Fire Department
and the Lions Club. He was one of the founders and builders of
The Anchor, the First Baptist Church at Surfside Beach.
After retiring
after 25 years of having his own businesses, Long Beach Construction
Co., Shoreline Corp. and Bra-Con Plumbing Supply Co., Bob began
20 years of volunteer Christian service.
Bob and Angie served
as directors of Project Ebenezer for Ministries in Action out
of Miami, Florida. They directed work teams and local committees
in building projects (clinics, churches, etc.) for Evangelical
churches in six Caribbean islands.
After 10 years,
they returned to Texas and joined Roving Volunteers In Christ
Service, Smithville, Texas, and had the privilege of serving evangelical
ministries all over the USA with other like-minded couples. Then,
after another 10 years, they retired again to the R.V.I.C.S. Village
in Smithville, Texas, their current home.
Bob and Angie formed
Gospel Growers Inc., a non-profit organization to enhance the
ministry of Sam Rice, R.N., in Haiti.
Bob has been a
beloved and loving son, brother, husband, father, grandfather
and great-grandfather. Bob is survived by his wife, Angela; son,
Kirk Brannan and wife, Johnnie; and daughter Kim Larson and husband,
Jim.
Also two sisters,
Berniece Edwards and Bett Leach and husband, John; a stepbrother,
K.M. Watson and wife, Sandra; seven grandchildren, Matthew Dearmond
and wife, Sharley, Angela Hoover and husband, Jeremy, Elizabeth
Dearmond, William Brannan, Stephanie Dearmond, Julie Brannan and
Victoria Dearmond; plus four great-grandchildren and many cousins,
nieces, nephews, extended family and friends — all too many
to mention, but Bob loved them all and felt blessed to have them.
A celebration of
Bob’s life will be held at 10:00 a.m. for visitation and
11:00 a.m. for services on Tuesday, October 30th, 2007, at Colonial
Chapel Hill Funeral Home-Memorial Park, 7735 Gibbs Sprawl Road,
San Antonio, Texas 78239 (phone (210) 566-6411).
Interment will
be beside his parents at Colonial Chapel Cemetery, same location.
In lieu of flowers,
memorial contributions may be made to Roving Volunteers In Christ
Service or to Gospel Growers Inc. or to a charity of one’s
choice.
Angie would like
to express her gratitude to our friends at R.V.I.C.S. Village,
Trinity Baptist Church and Vista Care Hospice for their special
care to both of us during Bob’s illness. She will continue
to reside at R.V.I.C.S. Village, 1700 S.E. Fourth Street, in Smithville,
Texas 78957.
