Major Henry Lee Browning, Sr. USAF Ret.

Major Henry Lee Browning, Sr., USAF Ret., age 86 of Temple, died Monday, November 20, 2017 in a local hospital.  A memorial service will be held at 1:00 PM Saturday, November 25th at Western Hills Church of Christ with Minister Scott Meyer officiating. Burial will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday, December 2nd at Restlawn Memorial Park in Sulphur Springs.  Major Browning was born November 10, 1931 in Oak Grove, Texas to Jewel Lee Browning and Arby Gladys Turner Browning.  Henry graduated from Sulphur Springs High School in 1950.  He graduated from East Texas State University, Commerce, Texas in 1954 with a B.S. in Business Administration and where he served in the ROTC.  Henry joined the United States Air Force immediately after college and served in the USAF Strategic Air Command for 20 years, retiring with an honorable discharge with the rank of Major at 43 years of age. Henry was a veteran of the Cold War.  He served as an Armament System Officer (B-47 Bomber); Armament Electronics Officer (B-52 Bomber); GAM 77 “Hound Dog” Missile Maintenance Staff Officer; Titan I ICBM Missile Maintenance Staff Officer and Maintenance Training Control Officer; and Titan II ICBM Missile Operation Launch Crew Commander.  Henry finished his Air Force career as Sector Commander of three Titan II ICBM nuclear missile launch complexes at McConnell AFB, Kansas. He was twice awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service.  Henry and his family were stationed in Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Michigan, Texas, California, Texas, Arkansas and Kansas. Following his retirement from the Air Force in 1975, Henry moved with his family to Lubbock, Texas, where he served as Business Manager and Director of Operations at Lubbock Christian College for two years.  In 1977 Henry went to work for Texas Instruments (Consumer Products Division), serving as Quality Control Line Supervisor and as Procurement Quality Engineer.  He transferred with Texas Instruments from Lubbock to Temple in 1979.  He retired from Texas Instruments in 1990. Henry was a lifelong avid fisherman (particularly large-mouth bass) and adventurer.  He also enjoyed camping, hunting, water skiing, gardening and he had his private pilot’s license and enjoyed flying.  He was a member of the Church of Christ and served as a Deacon and an Elder. Preceding Henry in death were his parents, his first wife, Linda Ann Lancaster Browning (mother of Lee, Jay and Camille), and his brothers, Billy Frank Browning and James Richard Browning.  He is survived by his wife, Evelyn Browning, his children, H. Lee Browning, Jr. and wife,  Cindy, Jay D. Browning and wife, Suzan and Camille A. Cole and husband,  Alan, his stepchildren, Mark A. McCall and wife, Kim and Kari L. Waltz and husband,  Brad, eight grandchildren and seven great- grandchildren.  He is also survived by his sister, Grace Lewis.