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.

 

~ In The News ~

Surfside Beach Honors 1st Mayor
By Hunter Sauls
The Facts

Published November 1, 2007

SURFSIDE BEACH - The American flag at City Hall was lowered to half-staff Tuesday in honor and remembrance of Bob Albert Brannan, the village's first mayor, who died Saturday at the age of 73.

"It brought tears to my eyes, it was such a sweet thing to do," said Angie Brannan, his wife of 49 years. "He loved the area, it was a lovely place to live. We had a great life together."

Brannan moved to Freeport after meeting his wife in Alaska, where he worked for the U.S. Parks Service. He was a welder in Freeport before his wife and children, Kirk and Kim, convinced him to move near the beach.

"We loved the beach," Angie said.

In 1962, Hurricane Carla had wiped out most of the houses on the island. Brannan moved there in the wake of the disaster and began working as a contractor, Angie said.

"He was a trained welder and he built our first house, which is still there on Beach Drive and Third Street," Angie said. "After the house was built, people kept asking him to build them one just like it. So he built me a real estate office, he built the homes and I sold them."

Throughout his 25 years in Surfside Beach, Brannan and his contracting companies built many of the buildings in the village, including the First Baptist Church of Surfside Beach, or "The Anchor."

"He was well-known and well-liked. You couldn't help but be friends with him," said Surfside Beach resident and former mayor Billy Proske. "He helped organize the city when it was first incorporated."

Brannan also was an avid churchgoer and volunteer firefighter. He was one of the founding members of the Surfside Beach Volunteer Fire Department, Proske said.

"He was always a pretty easy-going guy," said Proske, who served as a volunteer firefighter with Brannan. "When there was a problem, he just worked through the situation without getting all hyper. He was a very calm, intelligent man, never the pushy type. He just gave you wise council."

In 1975, Brannan was elected the village's first mayor. Proske said Brannan served as his example on how to be a good public official after Proske later became mayor.

"He didn't care if you were rich or poor, he would always hear you out," Proske said. "He didn't have a political agenda, he just tried to do the right thing. He was a big influence on my life. Someone like that always rubs off on you."

The Brannans were active members of The Anchor church, housing college kids each summer and, with the pastor, Bill Sims, running the church's coffee shop. After eight years as Surfside Beach's mayor, Brannan and Angie committed their lives to missionary work, taking them back to Alaska and through Miami to many of the Caribbean Islands, Angie said.

After 10 years in the mission field, the Brannans returned to the United States after he developed a heart problem. They settled in a Christian retirement village in Smithville, where Angie still lives, she said.

"But I kept one of our beach homes in Surfside," Angie said. "My kids still live in Lake Jackson, so I like to stay there in Surfside when I come and visit."

Brannan struggled with Alzheimer's disease, which had diminished his motor skills, making it progressively difficult for him to speak and swallow, Angie said. Still, she and Bob were able to spend the day alone talking about their lives Oct. 22. His condition worsened until he died.

"It was a beautiful day, the last of our conversations," Angie said. "It was a chance to say goodbye."

Hundreds came to celebrate the life of Bob Brannan at his funeral service Tuesday in San Antonio, Proske said.

"It was a packed house," he said. "You could tell Bob touched the hearts of many in his life."