Mr. R.A. Brookshire of Lufkin, Texas, passed away Oct. 22. He was 80 years old.
Memorial services will be held Saturday, Oct. 25, at 3 p.m. at Lufkin’s First Baptist Church with Rev. Bob Klund and Rev. Aubrey Knox officiating. A reception will follow the services in the church parlor.
Mr. Brookshire was born Oct. 10, 1934, in Lufkin, Texas, to the late Winifred (Washburn) and Austin Brookshire.
Mr. Brookshire was born in Lufkin, graduated from Lufkin High School and attended Stephen F. Austin State University, where he later served on the Board of Regents and established scholarships at SFA as well as Truitt Seminary at Baylor.
He served in the U.S. Army, and then began his career with Brookshire Brothers, which was started by his father and uncle in 1929. He, along with his brothers, Gene and Oscar, continued running the family business, taking turns being president. Although they had diverse personalities, they never had a cross word about the business.
Mr. Brookshire was a longtime member of Lufkin’s First Baptist Church, the Sunday School class of George Chandler and Burl Richardson, and the Tuesday Morning Men’s Bible Study at Believers Bible Church.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara; daughter, Tammy Loftis, of Ruidoso, New Mexico; son, Chris Cole, of Marfa, Texas; daughter, Sally NeGron, and husband, Larry of Buffalo, New York; four grandchildren; sister, Ann McCurry, of Lufkin; brother, Gene Brookshire, of Lufkin; sisters-in-law, Shirley Brookshire and Dot Brookshire, both of Lufkin; and several nephews and nieces.
Mr. Brookshire was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Oscar; and nephews, Burt and David.
Pallbearers are Gene Brookshire, Brent Brookshire, B.J. Brookshire, Joel Mark Brookshire, Chris Cole, Paul McCurry, Larry NeGron, Ryan NeGron, Logan NeGron, Leonard Peterson and Bill Schipper.
Honorary pallbearers are special friends and co-workers at Brookshire Brothers.
Memorial contributions may be made to Lufkin’s First Baptist Church, 106 East Bremond Avenue, Lufkin, Texas 75901 or Hospice in the Pines, 1504 W. Frank Avenue, Lufkin, Texas 75904.
We have lost a good friend. I attended Lufkin High with RA and I shall never forget the great times we enjoyed. When he would come to visit the doctor he would call me to meet him for lunch. I would meet him at a Tyler restaurant he liked, we would have lunch and talk endlessly about our early years at Lufkin and mutual friends. What he was and I will never forget him.