Marjorie Jane Heisig Browne (1917-2005)

My grandmother Helen’s younger sister

I have fond memories of visiting Aunt Jane and Uncle Ernest (“Big Ernest”) at their beach house in Crystal Beach on Thanksgivings when I was growing up. More generations are on Rev. Ferdinand Heisig page.

Marjorie Jane Heisig Browne: Newspaper Obituary and Death Notice
Beaumont Enterprise, The (TX) – July 10, 2005:

Marjorie Jane Heisig Browne was born on July 30, 1917 and died on June 29, 2005 at Calder Woods Retirement Center at the age of 87. She was a lifelong resident of Beaumont, the daughter of Charles T. Heisig and Vida Jane Young Heisig, both deceased. Jane was preceded in death by her husband of
58 years, Ernest J. Browne as well as sisters, Carla T. Harris, Helen Ruth Vance, Dorothy Grace Price; one brother, Cecil Emerson Heisig who died in infancy; and her twin sister, Marguerite Joyce Schlosser.  

Jane attended the Beaumont public schools and graduated from Beaumont High School in 1934. She then attended Lamar Junior College in Beaumont for two years and completed her undergraduate work at Louisiana State University in 1940 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. While at L.S.U. she was an active member of Tri-Delta Sorority. Jane taught elementary school in the Nederland school system for several years and then substitute taught in BISD when her two sons were receiving their public education. She served as President of the Longfellow Elementary PTA in the mid 1950’s. At fifty years of age, Mrs. Browne returned to Lamar State College to earn a Master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling in 1971. She worked with the Department of Human Resources as a Licenser of Day Care Centers throughout Southeast Texas as far north as Nacogdoches, Texas while, at the same time overseeing the demolition of her childhood home at the corner of Hazel and Fifth in Beaumont and building and managing the Ten Oaks Apartments at that site. In 1980, Jane retired from DHR, sold her interest in the rental property and commenced to manage another family business, Heisig Storage. She was a member of DAR and a member of First Baptist Church, Beaumont. Jane enjoyed her family, tending her many indoor and outdoor plants and spending weekends entertaining family and friends at their vacation home at Crystal Beach, Texas. She remained an excellent and avid bridge player until well in to her 80’s.

Mrs. Browne is survived by her two sons, Ernest J. Browne, Jr. and wife Susan of Beaumont, and Michael L. Browne and wife Anne of Collegeville, Pennsylvania; six grandchildren, Ernest J. (“Trey”) Browne, III and wife Kimberly, Scott William Browne and wife Elaine, and Kelley Jean Bridges and husband Jason, all of Beaumont, Sarah Skelton Browne of California, Patrick Michael Browne and William Ernest Browne of Collegeville, Pennsylvania; her five great grandchildren are Paige Elizabeth and Anna Katherine Browne, Scott William Browne, Jr. and Hailey Grace and Colby Ray Bridges, all of Beaumont. A family graveside service was held at Magnolia Cemetery on the afternoon of Sunday, July 3, 2005 followed by a memorial service in the Charles Kelley Chapel of the Claybar Kelley-Watkins Funeral Home with Rev. Craig Garrett, Chaplain of Calder Woods Retirement officiating. The music was provided by Rev. Mark Adams, Associate Pastor of music at First Baptist Church, Beaumont. Honorary pallbearers included J. Wylie Harris, “Red” Holland, Jeff Munro, John H. Schlosser, John Sehon, and Robert E. White. Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church, Beaumont.