Brock Faulkner

Brock Hiram Faulkner
May 14, 1918 ~ November 5, 2006

Brock Hiram Faulkner, 88, of Bryan, passed away  Sunday, November 5 at his home.  He was born in San Saba, Texas to Charles Lewis and Madge Brazil Faulkner.  He was the second of four children and the second son of a share cropper.  At the age of seven the family moved to San Angelo after the death of his older brother, to help his mom’s family run their Jersey dairy.  Two years later they moved to Carrizo Springs where they ranched and farmed.  In high school Brock played football, basketball and track and field.  His coach, Abe Houston, and Doug Sebesta, the County Agent convinced him to attend Texas A&M University upon graduation from Carrizo Springs High School in 1937.  Brock was hoping to get a football scholarship, but worked in the Beef Barn cleaning stalls and then later became the manager of the show herd and the breeding herd.  He lived in one of the off campus Project Houses where he contributed to his new ‘family’ by milking the cow and raising vegetables in the garden.

Brock graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Animal Husbandry on June 7, 1941 and was Commissioned into active duty with the U.S. Army later that day.  He married Vera Thompson on Sunday, June 8, took the train for a 3-day honeymoon in Galveston, then reported to Ft. Sam Houston on June 15 to begin what was to become a 30 year career with the Army.  During WWII, Faulkner served in China Burma India at the Chinese Training Center and later led combat maneuvers along the Burma Road.  He was stationed at various locations in Texas, Louisiana, Kansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Hawaii, Germany, and Thailand.  During his career he received many commendation medals for meritorious service as an ROTC Commander, Batallion Commander, troop trainer and military strategist, Inspector General and Post Commander.  Brock was awarded the Bronze Star and rose to the rank of full Colonel.  One Citation read, “outstanding professional knowledge, unfailing perseverance, and commendable leadership . . . solved many complex problems . . . exhibited forceful leadership, exceptional professional ability, . . . characterized by unsurpassed devotion to duty, unequaled capacity for absorbing excessive workload, and unerring judgment.  His personal and professional standards of conduct and performance of duty reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army, and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.”

Brock retired from military service on February 1, 1970 and came to his ranch in Bryan where he worked for another 36 years to improve his hay production, the bloodlines of his herd, his pecan crop and vegetable and fruit garden.  In addition, he served as a teacher and mentor to students from kindergarten through college.  He would quip that his military career was a 30 year interruption of his love of ranching.  In 1973, Brock organized the Brazos County Hay Producers Association and has served as chairman.  In 1978, he served as the chairman of the Brazos County Beef and Forage Committee.  In 1985, he was chairman of the Brazos County Program Building Committee and the B-CS Chamber of Commerce recognized Brock with the Community Agriculture Leader Award and in 2003 with the Agricultural Producer Award.  In 2000 he received the Brazos County Friend of Extension Award.  In 2005, the Brazos County Beef and Forage Committee recognized Brock by renaming the Brazos Valley Cattleman’s Clinic, the Brock Faulkner Cattleman’s Clinic and Trade Show.  Brock supported the veterinarian and agricultural programs at TAMU by running demonstration sites and allowing students to obtain practical experience using his pasture and his herds.  During this time he assisted his grandchildren and other youth with their 4H projects and with employment.   These students learned various aspects of ranching, but beyond that they learned about responsibility, respect, hard work, fair play and honor.

Brock was a loving and committed husband, father, and grandfather.  He and Vera had been married for more than 65 years, raising two sons and a daughter, all graduates of Texas A&M University.  He lived his faith and led his family and friends by example.  He had a quick wit, strong work ethic, and wonderful sense of honesty and fair play.  Brock is already missed by so many, even though we know that we will be with him again.  Throughout his adult life he assumed leadership and stewardship in a church wherever he lived at the time.  For more than thirty years he was the Sunday School Director for Seniors at Central Baptist Church and served for many years as a Deacon.  He has been a member of the board and President of the Reliance Cemetery Association.  Brock served the community of Kurten as a member of their volunteer fire department for several years.

Brock is survived by his wife, Vera Thompson Faulkner of Bryan; son, Warren T. Faulkner of Austin; daughter, Pamela K. Faulkner and husband, Grover K. Pagans of Corpus Christi; daughter-in-law, Martha Burgoon Faulkner of Bryan; grandchildren and spouses, Charles Warren “C.W.” Faulkner and wife, Emily of Annapolis, MD;  William Brock Faulkner and wife Brittany of College Station; Chelsea Hereford and husband, Larry of Conroe; Christopher Chase Faulkner-Pagans of Corpus Christi; great grandchildren, Brenna Ruth and Joseph Andrew Faulkner of Annapolis, MD and Hope Vera Hereford of Conroe.  He is also survived by a sister,  Nila Edith Lott of Poteet, TX and a brother, Calvin Ray Faulkner, also of Poteet.  Brock is preceded in death by his first son, William Ray Faulkner.

Chaplain Wayne King of Fayetteville, GA. and C.W. Faulkner of Annapolis, MD will be officiating the funeral service to be held at Central Baptist Church at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 8, followed by burial with Military Honors at the Reliance Cemetery.  Visitation was held at Hillier Funeral Home on Tuesday.

Memorials may be made to: the Brazos County 4H Brock H. Faulkner Memorial Scholarship Fund at First National Bank of Bryan-College Station, P.O.Box 833, Bryan, TX 77805 c/o Darlene Nichols;  Alzheimer’s Disease Research, P.O. Box 1950 Clarksburg, MD 20871-1950;  Campus  Crusade for Christ, 100 Lake Hart Drive, Dept 2400, Orlando, FL 32832 for the ministry of C.W. & Emily Faulkner; and/or Central Baptist Church 1991 FM 158, College Station, Texas 77845.
Hillier Funeral Home