Carolyn Burford Brady

Carolyn was born on the 11th of October 1929, in Shreveport, LA to Carolyn Mary Skelly and Freeman W. Burford, founder of Burford Oil Company and East Texas Refining Company. She was the granddaughter of Harriet and Guy Burford of Dallas and Gert and William (Bill) Skelly, founder of Skelly Oil Company, Spartan Aircraft, and AM radio & TV station KVOO, all based in Tulsa, OK.

Due to Freeman’s expanding oil and political interests, Mr. Burford decided that was the place to reside. He moved his young family, wife Carolyn and two children Bill and Carolyn to bustling Dallas, Texas. Embracing his new city, he found success in his many endeavors. Soon he had the opportunity to move his family into the home that is fondly known as The Mansion on Turtle Creek. Carolyn loved her life on Turtle Creek where she assembled a menagerie of pets, mostly her pony and dogs. The family entertained constantly and she was encouraged to participate in the lively conversations discussing politics, the oil business and the stock market which had crashed just weeks after her birth in 1929.

Her formal education began at The Hockaday School in Dallas until World War II when she and her brother attended the Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Fairbault, Minnesota. She then went on to study at Pine Manor College in Boston and later the University of Texas where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. At Texas, she met the love of her life, Patrick Ward Brady. After his graduation, they were married on October 1, 1949 and set off to West Texas where he began his career in the oil business. After a year, they moved to Houston where Pat started Bradco Oil & Gas Company and gave birth to her son Patrick. Although they were married and divorced twice, they remained lifelong friends until his death in 1976. Her second husband was Douglas R. Zwiener with whom she had her daughter Allison.

Carolyn was a very independent thinker, enthusiastic conversationalist, skilled bridge player and forever elegant and beautiful. She never met a stranger and made friends wherever she went. She was happiest when discussing business ventures, the stock market, politics, playing bridge or having a night on the town in an evening dress. She greatly enjoyed her association with the Junior League of Houston, River Oaks Country Club, St. John the Divine Episcopal Church and Terpsichore. Carolyn lived her life to the fullest, enjoying her evenings with a wonderful array of friends and family at long dinners. She was cherished here on earth and will be sorely missed and always remembered as a most elegant and charming lady.

She is survived by her children, son, Patrick W. Brady, Jr., daughter Allison Carolyn Zwiener Parsley, son-in-law Daniel Strake Parsley, grandchildren Diana, Julia, and Douglas Parsley all of Houston. Nieces Harriet Burford Redwine and family of Fort Worth, TX and Mathilda Burford Clements and family Oklahoma City, OK and nephew Larry Dorman and family of Marion, Massachusetts.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother and sister-in-law, William Skelly & Lolah Egan Burford of Fort Worth, TX and in-laws, Lawrence & Olive Brady of San Antonio, TX and Stuart & Barbara Brady Dorman of Orient Point, New York and niece Mary Elizabeth Burford of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Honorary pallbearers are Dan Parsley, Douglas Parsley, Bruce Cartwright, Christopher Criner, Charles Stewart, and Lee Martin.

Friends are cordially invited to a gathering of remembrance of Carolyn from five o’clock in the afternoon until eight o’clock in the evening on Tuesday, the 26th of June, at the Parsley Residence.

A memorial service honoring her life is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Wednesday, the 27th of June, in the chapel of The Church of St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Boulevard in Houston, where the Rev. Dr. Clay Lein is to officiate.