Ralph Childs Brownlee

Ralph Childs Brownlee, died at his home in New Iberia, LA, on January 24, 2006. He was 93. He is survived by his children, James Waltrip, III of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Richard Brownlee and wife, Barbara of Toledo, Ohio, Tom Brownlee and wife, Joanne of Nunica, MI, Dale Brownlee and wife, Carolyn of Katy, Texas, Judy B. Webb of New Iberia, LA, Patricia B. Bushnell and husband, Ronnie of New Iberia, LA, Bill Brownlee and wife, Cheri of Opelousas, LA, Anne B. Blanchet and husband, Ben of Meaux, LA, and Steve Brownlee and wife, Pam of Mandeville, LA; 23 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, and by his siblings, James Brownlee of New Iberia, LA, Lynn Brownlee of The Villages, FL, Marjorie B. Martin of Pretty Prairie, KS, and May B. Shaw of Ridgecrest, CA.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Beulah Dawson Brownlee; his parents, William Ray and Goldy May Brownlee; a sister, Mary Youle, and a daughter, Marilyn B. Waltrip.
A native of Pretty Prairie, KS. Brownlee graduated from Fort Hays Teachers College in Kansas with a major in chemistry. Before taking a job with United Carbon in Ryus, KS, at the beginning of World War II, he taught school in a one-room school house and farmed wheat. Drafted for the war at least three times, he was ultimately excused from service because he worked in a vital industry. In 1952, he was transferred to work at United Carbon/Ashland Chemical at Ivanhoe, LA, and moved to New Iberia with his family. While with the company, he worked as part of a special team in Venezuela, India, Germany and Israel. He retired at 65, but was called out of retirement by the company to help in opening a plant in Wales.
During his second retirement, Brownlee became a ham radio operator, advancing to extra class. He enjoyed traveling and was often out-of-state, with his family when the children were young and with his wife in later years, visiting family all over the country, and attending Hamfests in several states.
Primarily a family man, Brownlee spent most of his free time visiting with, working with and helping his relatives. He built wooden toys and furniture for his children and grandchildren, and traveled to their homes and helped them with remodeling houses and fixing cars, tractors, washing machines and other machinery. At 72, he helped his daughter Anne train two geldings to pleasure riding, riding on a World War I military saddle he bought from a Sears catalog for $1.50, and when he stopped riding in his 80's, helped on her farm by running the tractor for plowing, planting, and mowing. At 83, he helped his son, Tom set the foundation for a large garage.
He was a deacon and then an elder at First Presbyterian Church (now Iberia Parish Presbyterian Church) in New Iberia.
Services will be held at Iberia Parish Presbyterian Church in New Iberia on January 27 at 3:30 p.m. Visitation will be at Evangeline Funeral Home in New Iberia on January 26, 5-9 p.m., and on January 27, 1-3 p.m. Burial will be January 30 in Pretty Prairie, KS, following a funeral service at First Methodist Church there.