Flora Marie Browder

Flora Marie “Flo” Browder, of Fairfield, passed away at home after a lengthy illness, with her family at her side, on Thursday, August 22, 2013, at age 80. Visitation will be Sunday, August 25, 2013, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Graveside services will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Monday, August 26, 2013, at Faulkenberry Cemetery. Flora was born May 25, 1933 to Harvey Lee Woodard and Dona Reeves Woodard in Lorena. She graduated from Lorena High School, Class of 1950, where she had been a high school cheerleader. Flo was united in marriage with William “Bill” Browder on August 28, 1952 in Lorena. They lived in Waco, where she had been working in downtown when they survived the tornado of 1953. She began a career with the Texas Department of Public Transportation in Waco, which was interrupted when the family moved to Groesbeck in 1965 to operate the family business, Browder’s Grocery. In Groesbeck, Flo worked for Dr. Cox until TxDOT called requesting her to come back to work in Waco. She commuted until she and Bill moved back to Waco in 1970, after the grocery store had burned (in 1968). She worked in accounting, and one of the first women to go to field sites to do equipment inventories. She retired in 1993 after thirty-five years with the highway department. In retirement, she enjoyed being able spend time with the grandchildren and great grandchildren, and her great granddaughters lived with her for awhile. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Groesbeck and the Meadowbrook Baptist Church in Waco, and had been a Sunday School teacher. Music was important to Flo, as she enjoyed singing with her grandchildren (“You Are My Sunshine”) and teaching them her high school cheers. She loved Elvis, and she said the main reason was because he loved his Mother so greatly. Flo was one of the original participants of the Red Stocking Follies in Groesbeck, loving her fellow participants and time spent singing and laughing together. She was proud of the Community Center built through the money raised with the Follies. She was also a sports fan. She and a sister were avid Baylor Bears fans, attending all the home games until they couldn’t drive any longer. She also loved the Dallas Cowboys and in the past year, the Texas Rangers. She moved to Fairfield in 2005. When she became bedridden and couldn’t see, she remained active mentally, creating board games in her mind. She was known as a feisty, cheerful, strong and independent woman. Flora was preceded in death by her parents; son, Larry Burns; sister, Peggy Carroll, beloved brother-in-law, Jack Carroll, and mother-in-law and father-in-law, Opal and Weldon Browder. She is survived by Bill Browder, who was her husband of many years; daughter and son-in-law, Sheri and Steven Hendrix of Fairfield; son, Steven Browder of Bryan; grandchildren: Melinda Cox and husband Johnnie of Fairfield, Melisa McPherson and husband Chris of Fairfield, and Morgan Branum and husband Travis of Orlando, FL; great grandchildren: Stephanie and Dustie Cox, Ashley, Emily, and Lauryn Branum, McKynlee and Austyn McPherson; brother, Harvey Woodard, Jr. and his wife Jean of Lorena; brother, Bill Woodard of Hewitt; sister, Judy Robinson and her husband Oscar of Plano. Donations in memory of Flo may be made to the charity of choice.