Obituary— Geraldine Bramblett
Geraldine “Jerry” Bramblett was a woman like no other. She stood side-by-side with her husband and best friend, C.R. “Kit” Bramblett, for 68 years while they forged their lives in West Texas together. Not only could she out work any man working cattle, chopping cotton, or pulling a water well, but she would come in from a hard day of manual labor and make a big and oh so delicious meal for her family. After dinner, she would always round up family members to play a heated game of spades, rummikub, or spite and malice.
Jerry was born in Sierra Blanca, Texas to Jewell Hammack McAdoo and J.V. McAdoo and for the next 89 years was a lifelong resident of Hudspeth County. She grew up on the McAdoo Ranch in the Diablo Mountains overlooking Victorio Canyon. When she was a teenager, she would load her horse into her one-horse trailer hooked up behind her car and drive herself to rodeo after rodeo – – she was, as they used to say, one “helluva” rodeo cowgirl.
After graduating from high school, Jerry was off to college – Stephens University in St. Louis, Missouri. She was not at Stephens very long because when she came home for Christmas break, she met the love of her life, Kit Bramblett, at the Sierra Blanca New Year’s Eve dance where they waltzed the night away. This would be one of their many waltzes across Texas together. Jerry quickly transferred to Southern Methodist University because it was much closer to Texas A&M and Kit. They were married a year later on January 3, 1952. They had two sons, Russell and Coll, soon thereafter.
Even though Jerry and Kit were living a humble life scratching out a meager living on their Salt Flat, Texas farm, they made sure to be at EVERY event their boys were involved in; sporting events, stock shows, and school events. When Kit decided to go to law school, Jerry found herself working double shifts to help put not only Kit through law school but Russell, his wife Gaynelle, and Coll through college.
As time passed, then came their four grandchildren. Now Jerry’s grandchildren were her priority. She attended every sporting event and stock show she could, many times driving hours for a single game. Nana (the name given to her by her grandchildren) taught all of them to ride horses and work cattle. She also potty trained each and every one of them. Her grandchildren had the good fortune to live within a short distance of Nana and Aggie’s house. Their rides to her house meant a warm hug and a slice of pound cake smothered in fresh peaches (from Fredericksburg of course). Once Nana’s grandchildren provided her with great-grandchildren, there was nothing she wouldn’t do for them. She again attended every sporting event and stock show she could, and in true Nana form, she attended her last football and volleyball game only one week prior to her passing.
Jerry was preceded in death by her loving husband, Kit; her parents, Mammaw and Granddad; and her sisters, Faye Moss and Jewell Lutich. She is survived by her sister, Ona Mae Bean; two sons: Russell (Gaynelle), and Coll (Mary Anne); four grandchildren: Shelly Akers (Scott), Kittie Gibson (Brian), Kit Bramblett (Paola), and Collanne West (Chris); eight great-grandchildren: Bria and Danni Akers, Brock and Kanon Gibson, Kloe and Kadence Bramblett, and Krisanne and Kamryn West.
Funeral Services scheduled for 12:00 p.m., Sunday, October 4, 2020 at Eagle Mountain Ranch, Sierra Blanca, Texas. Pallbearers will be her beloved family members and Honorary will be Mann Bramblett, Johnny Lynch, Bill Sibley, James Pritchett, Ray Medlock, Jim Engle, Jim Bean, Dr. Richard Westbrook, and Johnny Schuller.
Funeral Services have been entrusted to Heritage Funeral Home in Van Horn, Texas. Online condolences may be left at: www.vanhornfunerals.com
