Lew Brazelton

Lew was an avid sportsman, accomplished stock-picker and Texas Longhorn fanatic. He grew up in Houston, Texas and attended Lamar High School where he excelled at football, basketball and baseball and was voted All-City in both baseball and basketball. Lew attended the University of Texas on a baseball scholarship and played first baseman for the Longhorns in three College World Series. Lew joined the Kappa Sigma fraternity where he developed many of his lifelong friendships. It was at UT where he met and married the love of his life, Shelley, who Lew playfully blamed for his plummeting batting average his senior year. Lew went on to have a highly successful business career as a financial advisor starting out at Merrill Lynch in New York, spending the next 44 years at Rauscher Pierce (and successor companies) and finishing the last 15 years of his career at Morgan Stanley. Lew valued integrity and hard work in business, and, as a result, many of his clients became his closest friends. He was a fixture on the tennis and pickleball courts at Houston Country Club where he won 11 doubles club championships in tennis spanning over three decades.

More than any success in athletics or business, Lew’s greatest accomplishment and legacy is as the loving leader and patriarch of his family. He believed actions spoke louder than words, and his track record of supporting his family and friends spoke loudly. Lew and Shelley enjoyed a 62 year love story, and their marriage served as an example to his children. One of Lew’s greatest acts of service was the way he dutifully cared for Shelley the last few years of her life as her health declined. They adored each other and are now reunited in Heaven. Lew was an incredible role model and devoted father to his four children. He spent countless weekends bird hunting in South Texas with his kids and their friends, and he coached his sons in baseball at Post Oak Little League for fifteen consecutive years. It was at POLL where Lew formed relationships with many young men who later sought his advice in business and life. Lew also loved hosting family and friends at his second home in Hunt, Texas. Through all these experiences, Lew shaped and enriched the lives of the people around him. His hearty laugh, legendary one-liners, good-natured needling and, most of all, his loyalty made him adored by so many. If the success of a man is measured by what his wife and kids say about him, Lew lived a wildly successful life.

As much as Lew excelled at being a dad, he relished his role as a grandfather. “Big Lew” was a constant presence at athletic and theatrical events. He enjoyed providing direct feedback (solicited or not) about all things sports, investing and, much to the embarrassment of his grandchildren, romance. They absorbed his life wisdom and laughed at his jokes all the while basking in his love of all of them.

Lew grew to have a quiet, but strong, Christian faith. He loved to attend Grace Bible Church which he credited with deepening his faith and understanding of Christ’s sacrificial love. He made many friends at GBC and often remarked that he had a better church attendance record than his pastor son.

Lew was a loyal and active contributor to many charitable and civic organizations. He particularly cherished Texas Children’s Hospital, the University of Texas, and the Houston Country Club. He served on the Board of Directors at Texas Children’s for 46 years and focused much of his efforts on autism research. Similarly, Lew served on the University of Texas McCombs School of Business Advisory Council for 34 years and was a dedicated supporter of the Longhorn athletic department. At Houston Country Club, he served on the Board of Directors and was proud to spearhead the installation of pickleball courts. Lew was also a member of the Argyle Club in San Antonio and Riverhill Country Club in Kerrville.

Lew is survived by his four loving children: Lewis Brazelton IV and his wife Cindie; Shelley Bracken and her husband Geoff; West Brazelton and his wife Mary; Fred Brazelton and his wife Jessica; his ten grandchildren: Hattie Brazelton, Emmory Brazelton Hinton and her husband Locklin, Tatum Brazelton, Hank Bracken, Will Brazelton, Rebekah Brazelton, Annie Kate Brazelton, Avery Brazelton and her fiancé William Allen, Bess Brazelton and Lewis Brazelton; his sister Kay Bruce. He is preceded in death by his wife Shelley Flato Brazelton and his parents, Lewis Edward Brazelton Jr. and Dorothy Jenkins Brazelton; and his grandson Will Bracken.

The family would like to thank Dr. Marc Boom and Jill Kubesch from Houston Methodist for their many years of care.

A memorial service is to be conducted at ten o’clock in the morning on Monday, the 9th of December at Grace Bible Church, 6325 Hurst St in Houston. Immediately following all are invited to greet the family during a reception at the church.

For those unable to attend the service in-person, virtual attendance may be accessed by visiting Lew’s online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com and selecting the "Join Livestream" icon on the service section. While there you may also share fond memories and words of comfort and condolences with his family by selecting the “Add a Memory” icon.

The family will gather for a private interment at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family asks that you consider making any donations to Dr. Huda Zoghbi’s research laboratory at Texas Children’s Duncan NRI to help children with autism. To make a gift, please visit online at texaschildrens.org/LewBrazelton, or by mail to: Texas Children's Hospital, Office of Philanthropy, Suite 6226, P.O. Box 300630, Houston, TX 77230-0630.

rd Brazelton III, age 84 passed away on Friday, November 29, 2024.