John Ray Birkner

John Ray Birkner, 70, passed away quietly in his sleep on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009, at Silverado Senior Living Center in Tomball. He had battled Alzheimer's disease for more than 11 years. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24, at Hillier Funeral Home, located at 2301 E. 29th St. in Bryan. Services are set for 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 25, at First United Methodist Church, located at 506 E. 28th St. in Bryan. The Rev. Harral Dunman will officiate. Burial will follow at Rest-Ever Memorial Park, located at 5103 N. Texas Ave. in Bryan.John was born on April 10, 1938, in Blanco, Texas, to Methodist minister the Rev. William and Vivian Birkner. He was the second of four boys. John graduated from A.N. McCallum High School in Austin in 1956 and went on to attend Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where he received his Bachelor of Science in psychology, with a minor in sociology in 1961. He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.During that time, he met Julie Ann Hailey, the daughter of Elisha “Sonny” David and Lucy Kate Hailey in Conroe. After graduation, he went to Houston to attend Hermann Hospital School of Physical Therapy. He received his degree and license in 1962 and went on to marry Julie on Oct. 6, 1962.John’s first physical therapy position was in Gonzales, Texas, working for the Warm Springs Foundation for a year. He then moved back to Houston to head the physical therapy department at M.D. Anderson. In 1964, John and Julie relocated to Bryan so he could become the second director of the Brazos Valley Rehabilitation Center. They had three children, Jennifer, Jan and Jack. John held that position until 1973, when he joined the team at University National Bank in College Station as their vice president in charge of marketing and business development. He received his certificate of installment lending from the American Bankers Association School from the University of Colorado in 1977. In 1979, he completed his certification on financial statement analysis from the American Institute of Banking. He had continued his passion for patient care by treating patients on the side and in 1980 he went back to full-time physical therapy practice for Home Health/Home Care of Texas. However, his skills and talents for community development were soon recruited by the owners of Huntsville National Bank. He became their vice president of marketing and business development in 1983. During his time there, he was certified in principles in banking from the American Institute of Banking. In addition, he added contract employment as a physical therapy consultant with Huntsville Memorial Hospital and various home health care agencies in the area. All of this he did while commuting daily from Bryan, supporting his wife in her career and his children in their various states as teenagers!One of his hobbies was Texas history. He loved Sam Houston and the battle for Texas’ independence, so when he discovered there was a need for funding to support the museum, he devoted his spare time to the founding of the General Sam Houston Folk Festival in Huntsville. It was his hope that the proceeds would continue to support a worthy historical cause for generations to come. It is still an annual event in Huntsville every spring. Huntsville Memorial Hospital hired John to be their full-time director in 1990. After more than 10 years of commuting, he returned to the Brazos Valley area to the private practice of physical therapy. He was once asked by his daughter why he continued to pursue caring for patients, many of whom were homebound, elderly, unhappy and had a poor long-term prognosis. His answer was very simple, “I like teaching a person to walk” and he pursued that goal one person at a time.John told his patients they were beautiful, and he meant it. He did not judge his patients by their outward appearance nor their financial or political status. He cared for them all with the same love and respect. You felt it in his touch and heard it in his voice. His form of healing was magical for all who were blessed to have experienced it. He enjoyed more than 40 years of caring for others.During his years of service, he wore many service organization and volunteer “hats.” In Bryan, he and Julie were very active in First United Methodist Church in Bryan, where he was the chairman of the Board, sang in the choir, helped install the pipe organ, built anything that was needed and was a member of the Men’s Bible Class. Other activities he used as channels to help others included the Boys Club, the Kiwanis Club, where he served as president, he was a HOST volunteer and held various coaching positions for his children’s teams. He was active in the Bryan-College Station Jaycees, where he served as president and was chosen Outstanding Jaycee, Outstanding Young Man in the Brazos County and selected as an Outstanding Young Man of America. He was involved in the Chamber of Commerce in Bryan and Huntsville as well as serving as president for both the Rotary Club in Huntsville and the Rotary Club of Aggieland. He was a Paul Harris Fellow and received the Service Award for Professional Excellence. John’s only wish was that whoever benefited from his service would pay it forward to others along the way.John actually had time for hobbies too. He had a love of flying and received his pilot’s license in 1978. He was an excellent dancer, an avid deer and dove hunter, and he was a golfer, which was his favorite sport. He was locally famous for his other God-given talent - his voice. He was a wonderful tenor who enjoyed singing with Julie, the church choir, community group and the locally infamous barbershop quartets. He was preceded in death by his father and mother.Survivors include his wife, Julie Ann Hailey Birkner of Bryan; daughters and sons-in-law, Jennifer and Phil Hathaway of Bryan and Jan and Wilson Cook of Spring; son and daughter-in-law, John “Jack” Hailey and Janna Birkner of Plano; grandchildren, P.J., 14, and Jamie Hathaway, 10, Paul Reilley Jr., 16, Sunni Reilley, 13, Mike Reilley, 11, Katherine Cook, 10, and Wilson Cook IV, 9, Hailey, 14, Sarah, 12, and Gracie Birkner, 1; brothers and sisters-in-law, Will Birkner of California, Sam and Rhonda Birkner of Fort Worth, and Charles and Regina Birkner of California; and stepbrother-in-law, James Galbraith and wife Sally of Galveston.In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Brazos Valley Rehabilitation Center, Rotary International, National Alzheimer’s Association or First United Methodist Church of Bryan.Arrangements are entrusted to Hillier Funeral Home, 2301 E. 29th St., Bryan, Texas, 77802. Please view and sign the guestbook at www.hillierfuneralhome.com.Hillier Funeral Home