Kathleen Gordon Brown

Budine was born on the 10th of November 1926, to Clara Louise Blakely Gordon and Harry Brace Gordon, Jr. She was a direct descendant of Randolph Foster, one of Stephen F. Austin’s “Old Three Hundred” who were Texas’ first colonists. She was also the granddaughter of Bassett “Papa” Blakely, a pioneer cattleman and rancher from Fort Bend County, Texas.

Budine was born in Houston, Texas where she grew up in the Westmoreland Place neighborhood and on the Blakely Ranch outside of Fulshear, Texas. She attended River Oaks Elementary School, Lanier High School and graduated from Fairfax Hall in Virginia. She attended Finch College in New York City and when she returned home to Houston, to be presented as a debutante at Allegro, she met William Thomas Peckinpaugh, Jr. The two fell in love and were married in 1948. After her first husband’s death she married Carlos Nino de Rivera and moved to Mexico City where they resided for several years. Budine then returned to Houston where she met and married Jean William Brown and the two enjoyed a marriage of 25 years.

Budine was a member of the Junior League of Houston, the Town and Country Garden Club, the Bayou Club and Bolero.

She was preceded in death by her parents Clara Louise Blakely Gordon and Harry Brace Gordon, Jr., her brother, Harry Brace Gordon III; her husband, William Thomas Peckinpaugh, Jr.; and her husband Jean William Brown. Budine is survived by her daughter, Tye Peckinpaugh Taft and husband, Philip Duncan Taft; her son, William Thomas Peckinpaugh, III and her daughter Patricia Peckinpaugh Griffith and husband, Wilson Morse Griffith. She is also survived by her grandchildren, David Miller Crosswell, Jr. and wife, Allison Speed Crosswell; Harriet Lauren Blakely Taft and wife Elizabeth Cagle; William Thomas Peckinpaugh IV; Thomas Wilson Randolph Griffith, Tye Blakely Griffith; and her three great-grandchildren, David Miller Crosswell III, Philip Speed Crosswell, Oscar Holcombe Crosswell III; and her sister-in-law, Patricia Peckinpaugh Hubbard. Budine is also survived by her dear and devoted companion, Arthur “Art” E. Simpson.

Mrs. Brown’s family would like to express their deep gratitude to her longtime devoted and loving friend Rajer Golden, and her wonderful team of caretakers Gloria Gillard, Ileta Johnson, Paula Lee, Vanessa Lewis, Anna Lopez, Alma Lyons, Velma Moss, Sylvia Nadeem, Anna Woodfork and Michelle Frazier.

On Thursday, the 14th of November, the family gathered for a private interment at the historical Morton Cemetery in Richmond, Texas an early Texas burial site established in 1838 which is the resting place of many of her Blakely relatives.

Friends are cordially invited to a gathering and sharing of remembrance with the family of Mrs. Brown from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Wednesday, the 20th of November, in the grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

A memorial service is to be conducted at three o’clock in the afternoon on Thursday, the 21st of November, at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road in Houston.

For those desiring, the family suggests contributions in memory of Mrs. Brown be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association, 6055 S. Loop E, Houston, TX 77087 or the charity of one's choice.