Brian Hugh McWhirter

Brian was born on February 23, 1938, in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, to the late Robert McWhirter and Grace Rayburn McWhirter. He took great pride in his Scottish heritage, descending from families rooted in the Isle of Man. He attended the Allan Academy, a military school in Bryan, Texas, which instilled in him an early spirit of discipline and ambition.

A Life of Entrepreneurship and Melody

Brian’s career was defined by bold ideas and the willingness to pursue them. While working sales calls for UTEX, he was inspired to found his first manufacturing company within the oil and gas sector in Louisiana. Later, after prioritizing time spent with his children, Brian and his beloved wife, Zaira, found great success with their second venture, Conroe Plastics Molding.

Beyond business, Brian’s heart belonged to music. He was a lifelong musician, and his favorite stories included the time he shared a stage with rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry and the memorable occasion when Janis Joplin sat in and joined him for a song at a recording studio. He cherished the deep bonds he shared with his dearest friends, creating and appreciating the words and meanings behind the songs they wrote together.

The Good Life

Brian was a man full of adventure who always wanted life to be about the good. He loved a great joke, a hearty laugh, and spirited conversation. His adventures spanned the globe: he climbed the Great Wall of China, hiked up the famous Pulpit Rock in Norway, and walked toward hot lava in Hawaii. His love for the sea was profound; it led him to buying a house on an island in Belize in 2011, right in front of the reef. He shared his passion with his family, taking them scuba diving and snorkeling all over the world, even recounting the story of him and Shaz clinging to the reef as the waves beat against them, or zip lining through the jungles of Roatan with Gigi.

At home, he loved being surrounded by his family. He often shared his passion for music, teaching and singing with his children and grandchildren. He absolutely enjoyed competitive games, whether it was a rousing round of tooroop, a strategic session of sequence, or a challenging match of chess.

Family Legacy

Brian’s longest and most cherished commitment was his 35-year marriage to his wife, Zaira McWhirter, who was a constant source of love and strength, and who listened to his last pulse.

He is survived by his loving wife, Zaira McWhirter; his children, Brian Lee McWhirter, Misty Ann McWhirter, and Monty Lane McWhirter. He is also survived by his devoted stepchildren, Safiyya McWhirter, Shazad McWhirter, Aziza McWhirter, and Jade Melgar, all of whom he loved and raised as his own. He leaves behind numerous grandchildren who brought him immense joy and pride.

Brian was preceded in death by his daughter, Terry Lynn (McWhirter) Noris.

His joyful spirit, his love for adventure, and his melody will live on in the hearts of all who knew him.

A visitation will be held on October 31, 2025, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home, Grand Hall, located at 18000 Interstate 45 South, The Woodlands, TX 77384.

The funeral service will follow on the same day, October 31, 2025, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, also at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home, Grand Hall.

A catered reception will take place on October 31, 2025, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home, R.L. Wood, at the same address.