Agnes O. Browne

Brownsville, Texas - A new angel entered heaven with the passing of Agnes O. Browne, Monday, March 18, 2019. Agnes was born in Brownsville, Texas on January 22, 1914 to Stephen Powers Browne and Hilma Horner Browne. God granted her 105 years on this earth. She lived a remarkable life! She saw Brownsville spring from dirt streets in downtown Brownsville, traversed by horse drawn wagons and carriages, to a beautiful and thriving community on the Rio Grande River epitomizing the friendship and mingling of two cultures. She was a member of Brownsville's oldest Pioneering families, Browne, Powers, Wagner, Combes, Wells, and Hicks. As a young child, she was greatly influenced by her father, mother, and especially, her grandmother, Agnes A. Powers Browne, who instilled in her granddaughter, Agnes, a deep and abiding sense of duty and service to her community as well as exemplifying the important values of family and faith.

Agnes was a loving, caring philanthropist who out of her great love for Brownsville contributed to many important civic, political, and religious organizations such as Brownsville Historical Society and Museum, The University of Texas Nursing Scholarship and as a devout Catholic, to her beloved Sacred Heart Church, the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, Villa Maria, Incarnate Word Academy, and many other religious institutions.

She was an intelligent, well educated, well read, and accomplished business woman who took the helm of managing the family's business investments when her father Stephen Powers Browne passed away. She demonstrated fairness and integrity in all her business dealings. She was loved and respected by the farmers, ranchers, and business professionals that she worked with through the years. She served on the board of Brownsville Medical Center for many years where she formed great friendships with other board members.

She was one of Brownsville's leading genealogists and had traced her family's history back to the 1700's to their origins in Ireland, Sweden, and Germany. She loved the history of Brownsville and was a great repository of the knowledge of its history.

Agnes attended Villa Maria High School in Brownsville and Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. She was an accomplished artist. Her charcoals and pastels of horses and country scenes hang in the homes of her family as treasures of her talent. She loved children and although she never had any of her own she loved caring for her nieces Gretchen and Karen; her nephew, Steve; grandnephews, James and Michael; and grandniece, Sarah.

She and her beloved sisters Frances (Ponchita) Browne and Mary Hilma Browne Winans were staunch pillars of Sacred Heart Church. Her great faith in God permeated her life and served as inspiration to her family and all those who knew this gracious lady. Agnes leaves a legacy of integrity, loving kindness, and an example of great devotion to God, her faith, and her family. She now lives eternally in the arms of Our Dear Lord.

She is survived by her beloved family, nieces, Gretchen W. Nash (Ron Lee) and Karen F. Bach (Jim); nephew, Stephen Browne Winans (Gail), with, grandnephews, James Bach, Michael Nash, and grandniece, Sarah Nash, Simon Puente (Yadira), Seth Lee Puente, Ian Lee Puente, Allison Haley, Brayden Haley, and Scott Daniels (Carrie).

A visitation will be held at Sacred Heart Church, 602 E. Elizabeth Street, Brownsville, Texas on Monday, April 01, 2019 at 1:00 P.M. A Rosary Gloria Patri will follow at Sacred Heart Church 2:00 P.M. and a Holy Requiem Mass will then be held at Sacred Heart Church at 3:00 P.M. A private internment of her ashes will be held at the historic Old City Cemetery where she will be buried alongside her father, Stephen Powers Browne, her mother, Hilma Horner Browne, and her beloved sisters, Mary H. Browne Winans and Frances V. Browne.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Sacred Heart Chapel, C/O Immaculate Conception Cathedral, 1218 E. Jefferson Street, Brownsville, TX 78520.

Visitation

Visiting Hours

Sacred Heart Church
602 E. Elizabeth Street
Brownsville, TX  78520
Monday, April 1, 2019
1:00 P.M. to 2:00 P.M.

Recitation of the Holy Rosary

Sacred Heart Church
602 E. Elizabeth Street
Brownsville, TX  78520
Monday, April 1, 2019
2:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M.

Service

Funeral Mass

Sacred Heart Catholic Church
602 E. Elizabeth
Brownsville, TX  78520
Monday, April 1, 2019
3:00 P.M.