HAINES CITY - Ed "Pinky" Browning joined the Lord on November 12, 2007. He was born 92 years ago in Bogart, Georgia. He moved to Florida as a small child with his mother and father, Henry and Mary Lou Browning, his brothers, Roy and William "Billy" Browning, his sisters, Beatrice Chisholm and Carolyn Patterson, All of whom predeceased Ed. Ed won his battle with Alzheimer’s Disease under the loving care of his wife, Hazel Browning, the staff of Good Shepherd Hospice and the staff of Clare Bridge Cottage in Winter Haven. Along with his wife Hazel, Ed is survived by his daughter, Linda Browning of Albuquerque, New Mexico, his stepson Jack Mitchell, and two grandsons, Jason and Regan Ford. He was preceded in death by his oldest daughter, Terry Browning Ford of Lake Wales.
Ed attended Haines City High School and completed his high school degree at Georgia Military School in Milledgeville, GA. He attended Auburn University on a football scholarship. After graduating from Auburn, he taught high school and coached football at Belle Glade High School in Palm Beach County for several years. He married Helen Rackley of Lake Hamilton, FL and they had two daughters, Terry and Linda. Together they operated Case Rate Grocery in Belle Glade, for 30 years. In 1954, Ed returned to school and graduated from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA. He was the associate pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Gainesville, FL at the time it was chartered. Illness prevented Ed from entering the ministry though he never waivered in his faith. Ed returned to his real passion, teaching. He taught high school history in Belle Glade until he retired and returned to Polk County. He was a tough, no-nonsense teacher and students never forgot Mr. Browning!
Upon returning to Polk County, Ed later married Hazel McKleroy Mitchell to whom he was married for the last 20 years. He enjoyed his "retirement" years, working everyday in his groves or his vegetable garden. He enjoyed sending fruit to relatives in Georgia and giving vegetables to all his friends and family. His tomatoes were the best.
Ed was an active member of the Winter Haven Rotary Club. He worked especially hard at the Rotary Club Camp in the summers and on the Rotary Park in Winter Haven. He was very proud of his member ship and attended meetings up until he became a resident of Clare Bridge. Ed was also a member of Calvary Baptist Church. For many years he combined his love of God and teaching through his volunteer work at Brandywine Nursing Home. He taught history as well as gave Sunday sermons for many years to the residents of Brandywine.
Services will be Friday, November 16, 2007 at 10:30 am at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, Haines City. Final resting place will be with his parents at Forest Hill Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Assoc. 1131 First Street S., Winter Haven, FL 33880. Condolences may be made via: oakridgefuneralcare.comHH
