Rev. Dr. T. Max Browning

Reverend Dr. T. Max Browning passed from this life on February 6, 2026, in Plainview, TX, at the age of 87. Visitation will take place on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Bartley Memorial Chapel in Plainview, TX. A Celebration of his life will be held on February 12, 2026, at Plainview Methodist Church at 11:00 AM with Pastor Dr. Travis Hart, Pastor Doug Yates, and Pastor Scott Meador officiating. Following the Church service, the burial will take place at the Dorn Methodist Chapel Cemetery in Mitchell County at 4:00 PM on the 12th, with Rev. Bill Duke officiating. Max will be beside his wife of 56 years, Juanita Andrews Browning, who preceded him in death on April 18, 2015. Funeral Arrangements are under the supervision of Bartley Funeral Home of Plainview, TX.

Max was born on March 19, 193 8 in Alanreed, Texas to Erwin L. & Burnese Blakney Browning. He was born in a private home overlooking the historic Route 66 Highway. Max started school in Phillips, Texas, where his father was employed by the Phillips 66 Oil Refinery. When Max's grandfather died in October 1947, the family moved to his farm near Lockney. They harvested two crops, but sold the farm after 15 months, basically because his mother could not cope with the isolation of the farm life.

On January 1, 1949, they moved to Amarillo. Max attended Pleasant Valley Elementary School. Horace Mann Jr. High, Amarillo High and was a proud member of the first graduating class of Palo Duro High School in 1956.

In 1954, as president of the Pleasant Valley Methodist Youth Fellowship, Max encouraged the group to attend a youth revival at a neighboring Methodist church. One night the message was on God's call to full-time Christian service. Max felt that sermon was meant specifically for him. At this time that was the last thing he wanted to do with his life. He fought hard against that call, but finally yielded and at the altar of the Pleasant Valley Methodist Church, surrendered to God's call to the ordained ministry. He was licensed to preach by the Amarillo District during the summer of 1954.

In the Fall of 1956, Max enrolled in McMurry College in Abilene, Texas to begin his preparation for the ordained ministry. In December, he had an unexpected visitor, Dr. Orion Carter, District Superintendent of the Big Spring District offered to appoint him to the Colorado City Circuit. It involved pastoring two churches and preaching three weeks out of each month. The salary was $75 per month and involved driving 120 miles round trip from Abilene. Fortunately, gasoline was less than 30 ¢ a gallon at that time.

During this time, Max returned to Amarillo and stopped by Horace Mann Junior High, where he encountered his former counselor, Mrs. Diehl. After hearing he was now a pastor, she exclaimed in disbelief, "Out of all the students I've ever had, you are the last one I would have ever thought would be a preacher!"

It was while serving the Colorado City Circuit that Max met Juanita Andrews. A few weeks later, her pastor's wife set them up on their first date, which was a double date to a movie in Colorado City. Juanita's friend lived on a dirt road and over 3 inches of rain visited the Westbrook area that night. They got the girls back to her friend's house, but got stuck in the front yard. Max and his friend had to walk over a mile on the muddy road, awaken one of his members to call Juanita's relatives, who owned the phone office in Westbrook, to inform Juanita's parents of the situation.

It was about noon the next day when Max brought Juanita back home. About a year and a half later, Max moved Juanita into the Westbrook Methodist parsonage, about half a block from her parent's home, and began 56 years of married life.

Max graduated from McMurry College in 1962, with his Bachelor of Arts Degree. He attended Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where he earned his Master's of Divinity and was ordained an Elder in the United Methodist Church in 1965. While serving in El Paso, several years later he had the unique opportunity to enroll in San Francisco School of Theology, from which he received his Doctor of Ministry in 1989.

In 1990, Dr. Max was appointed pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Plainview, Texas, where he served until his retirement in 2004. Then in 2005, he was invited to be the interim pastor of First Christian Church, where he preached for 9 and a half years before finally retiring in 2014.

Throughout his ministry, Dr. Max was deeply committed to spiritual renewal. He preached numerous revivals, promoted the Lay Witness Mission, Bethel Bible Study, and Stephen Ministry. In later years, he was especially devoted to the Walk to Emmaus, serving multiple times as spiritual director and clergy team member. He was elected the first spiritual director of the Living Water Emmaus Community when it was formed in the Plainview area.

Dr. Max is survived by his three daughters and their husbands:
Sheri (Bruce) Derrick of Plainview,
Cheryl (Rev. Bill) Duke of Mission,
Sharla (JR) Moreland of Plainview.

He is also survived by his eight grandchildren:
Brandon (Hannah) Browning of Winfield, West Virginia;
Courtney, Esq. (Eric) Schroeder of Boerne, Texas;
Ashlea Sowa of Plainview;
Dr. Matthew (Teresa) Sowa of Abilene;
Cameron Derrick of Plainview;
Rev. Bethany (Matthew) Santos of Beeville;
Sarah Duke of Mission;
Colton Derrick of Plainview;
and twelve great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife Juanita Andrews Browning, sisters Janice Tversky and Joyce Keeter, and is survived by his brother-in-law, Robert Keeter.

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