Rex Landreth Brasher, Sr., resident of Memphis, Tennessee, passed away on the 23rd day of September, 2012, at the age of 92, after a long battle with alzheimers. He was a resident of Baptist Trinity Hospice at the time of his death.
He was born in Sarepta, Calhoun County, Mississippi, on June 2, 1920; he briefly attended school in Calhoun County, Mississippi, Training School on the Memphis State College campus, and Messick High School. He was graduated from Messick in 1938 where he was Senior Class President, played on the football team, and boxed in the Amateur Golden Gloves competition.
He had an art scholarship to study in Florence, Italy, in 1939, but the war in Europe intervened and he had to turn it down.
He attended Memphis State College and The Memphis Academy of Art.
Rex joined the United States Army Air Force in June of 1941 when war appeared inevitable; he was selected to attend officer candidate school, but declined to stay with his Memphis friends who volunteered with him; he was trained as an armorer for B17 bombers, learned how to fuse bombs, and became an expert on 30 and 50 caliber machine guns, weapon synchronization, and explosives; upon completion of his Air Force training he was offered a chance to become a fighter pilot flying P40's, which he quickly declined; he flew as a tail gunner on B17's on the east coast hunting German submarines; and was transferred to England in August of 1942 where he was stationed for three years with the 92nd Bomber Group, 327 Squadron, at Alconbury and Podington, England.
He was married before shipping out to England; he was discharged as a Staff Sergeant in September, 1945. While in England he went out in the countryside and sketched and painted old churches, cemeteries, castles, and caricatures of military life. He also sketched many of the Squadron's B17's as they returned from missions and kept a notebook of these drawings. He had several exhibitions of his paintings while in England and was profiled in the military newspaper for the 92nd Bomber Group; named as artist of the week for the 92nd Bomber Group and had several exhibitions of his art work while in England.
Upon his return to Memphis, he began his professional career as a graphic artist and later became a professional commercial photographer. He was a member of the old Memphis Artists Guild and a member and past president of the Memphis Photography Association. He was a docent for the Memphis Belle Association for a number of years and was one of its featured volunteers in its Spring 2003 publication. He was also profiled in the book Fame's Favored Few which was written about the 327th and members of that Squadron. He was the owner of Rex Brasher Photography, Inc. for many years and later Brasher-Rucker Photography at the time of his retirement at the age of 83.
He was formerly a member of Prescott Baptist Church where his parents were early members; after he returned from military service, he and his wife, Juanita, were part of the original group of families founding Colonial Baptist Church in Colonial Acres where he organized the first Junior and Intermediate baseball teams.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William Earlye and Modell Landreth Brasher, both of Calhoun County, Mississippi; and a brother, James Robert Brasher.
His father died October 05, 1962 in Calhoun County, MS. of the age 61.
He leaves his wife of 72 years, Juanita Jones Brasher, 3 children: Rex L. Brasher, Jr. (Marilyn) of Memphis, Tennessee; David Ronald Brasher of Columbia, Maryland; and Cheryl Elaine Brasher Lester of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; two granddaughters: April Brasher Burtnick of Liberty, Pennsylvania, and Peggy Lester Hudkins of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; five great grandchildren; and dear friends Jim and Paula Harris.
Interment to take place at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Information from www.memorialparkonline.com
He was born in Sarepta, Calhoun County, Mississippi, on June 2, 1920; he briefly attended school in Calhoun County, Mississippi, Training School on the Memphis State College campus, and Messick High School. He was graduated from Messick in 1938 where he was Senior Class President, played on the football team, and boxed in the Amateur Golden Gloves competition.
He had an art scholarship to study in Florence, Italy, in 1939, but the war in Europe intervened and he had to turn it down.
He attended Memphis State College and The Memphis Academy of Art.
Rex joined the United States Army Air Force in June of 1941 when war appeared inevitable; he was selected to attend officer candidate school, but declined to stay with his Memphis friends who volunteered with him; he was trained as an armorer for B17 bombers, learned how to fuse bombs, and became an expert on 30 and 50 caliber machine guns, weapon synchronization, and explosives; upon completion of his Air Force training he was offered a chance to become a fighter pilot flying P40's, which he quickly declined; he flew as a tail gunner on B17's on the east coast hunting German submarines; and was transferred to England in August of 1942 where he was stationed for three years with the 92nd Bomber Group, 327 Squadron, at Alconbury and Podington, England.
He was married before shipping out to England; he was discharged as a Staff Sergeant in September, 1945. While in England he went out in the countryside and sketched and painted old churches, cemeteries, castles, and caricatures of military life. He also sketched many of the Squadron's B17's as they returned from missions and kept a notebook of these drawings. He had several exhibitions of his paintings while in England and was profiled in the military newspaper for the 92nd Bomber Group; named as artist of the week for the 92nd Bomber Group and had several exhibitions of his art work while in England.
Upon his return to Memphis, he began his professional career as a graphic artist and later became a professional commercial photographer. He was a member of the old Memphis Artists Guild and a member and past president of the Memphis Photography Association. He was a docent for the Memphis Belle Association for a number of years and was one of its featured volunteers in its Spring 2003 publication. He was also profiled in the book Fame's Favored Few which was written about the 327th and members of that Squadron. He was the owner of Rex Brasher Photography, Inc. for many years and later Brasher-Rucker Photography at the time of his retirement at the age of 83.
He was formerly a member of Prescott Baptist Church where his parents were early members; after he returned from military service, he and his wife, Juanita, were part of the original group of families founding Colonial Baptist Church in Colonial Acres where he organized the first Junior and Intermediate baseball teams.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William Earlye and Modell Landreth Brasher, both of Calhoun County, Mississippi; and a brother, James Robert Brasher.
His father died October 05, 1962 in Calhoun County, MS. of the age 61.
He leaves his wife of 72 years, Juanita Jones Brasher, 3 children: Rex L. Brasher, Jr. (Marilyn) of Memphis, Tennessee; David Ronald Brasher of Columbia, Maryland; and Cheryl Elaine Brasher Lester of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; two granddaughters: April Brasher Burtnick of Liberty, Pennsylvania, and Peggy Lester Hudkins of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; five great grandchildren; and dear friends Jim and Paula Harris.
Interment to take place at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Information from www.memorialparkonline.com
Rex Landreth Brasher, Sr., resident of Memphis, Tennessee, passed away on the 23rd day of September, 2012, at the age of 92, after a long battle with alzheimers. He was a resident of Baptist Trinity Hospice at the time of his death.
He was born in Sarepta, Calhoun County, Mississippi, on June 2, 1920; he briefly attended school in Calhoun County, Mississippi, Training School on the Memphis State College campus, and Messick High School. He was graduated from Messick in 1938 where he was Senior Class President, played on the football team, and boxed in the Amateur Golden Gloves competition.
He had an art scholarship to study in Florence, Italy, in 1939, but the war in Europe intervened and he had to turn it down.
He attended Memphis State College and The Memphis Academy of Art.
Rex joined the United States Army Air Force in June of 1941 when war appeared inevitable; he was selected to attend officer candidate school, but declined to stay with his Memphis friends who volunteered with him; he was trained as an armorer for B17 bombers, learned how to fuse bombs, and became an expert on 30 and 50 caliber machine guns, weapon synchronization, and explosives; upon completion of his Air Force training he was offered a chance to become a fighter pilot flying P40's, which he quickly declined; he flew as a tail gunner on B17's on the east coast hunting German submarines; and was transferred to England in August of 1942 where he was stationed for three years with the 92nd Bomber Group, 327 Squadron, at Alconbury and Podington, England.
He was married before shipping out to England; he was discharged as a Staff Sergeant in September, 1945. While in England he went out in the countryside and sketched and painted old churches, cemeteries, castles, and caricatures of military life. He also sketched many of the Squadron's B17's as they returned from missions and kept a notebook of these drawings. He had several exhibitions of his paintings while in England and was profiled in the military newspaper for the 92nd Bomber Group; named as artist of the week for the 92nd Bomber Group and had several exhibitions of his art work while in England.
Upon his return to Memphis, he began his professional career as a graphic artist and later became a professional commercial photographer. He was a member of the old Memphis Artists Guild and a member and past president of the Memphis Photography Association. He was a docent for the Memphis Belle Association for a number of years and was one of its featured volunteers in its Spring 2003 publication. He was also profiled in the book Fame's Favored Few which was written about the 327th and members of that Squadron. He was the owner of Rex Brasher Photography, Inc. for many years and later Brasher-Rucker Photography at the time of his retirement at the age of 83.
He was formerly a member of Prescott Baptist Church where his parents were early members; after he returned from military service, he and his wife, Juanita, were part of the original group of families founding Colonial Baptist Church in Colonial Acres where he organized the first Junior and Intermediate baseball teams.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William Earlye and Modell Landreth Brasher, both of Calhoun County, Mississippi; and a brother, James Robert Brasher.
His father died October 05, 1962 in Calhoun County, MS. of the age 61.
He leaves his wife of 72 years, Juanita Jones Brasher, 3 children: Rex L. Brasher, Jr. (Marilyn) of Memphis, Tennessee; David Ronald Brasher of Columbia, Maryland; and Cheryl Elaine Brasher Lester of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; two granddaughters: April Brasher Burtnick of Liberty, Pennsylvania, and Peggy Lester Hudkins of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; five great grandchildren; and dear friends Jim and Paula Harris.
Interment to take place at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Information from www.memorialparkonline.com
He was born in Sarepta, Calhoun County, Mississippi, on June 2, 1920; he briefly attended school in Calhoun County, Mississippi, Training School on the Memphis State College campus, and Messick High School. He was graduated from Messick in 1938 where he was Senior Class President, played on the football team, and boxed in the Amateur Golden Gloves competition.
He had an art scholarship to study in Florence, Italy, in 1939, but the war in Europe intervened and he had to turn it down.
He attended Memphis State College and The Memphis Academy of Art.
Rex joined the United States Army Air Force in June of 1941 when war appeared inevitable; he was selected to attend officer candidate school, but declined to stay with his Memphis friends who volunteered with him; he was trained as an armorer for B17 bombers, learned how to fuse bombs, and became an expert on 30 and 50 caliber machine guns, weapon synchronization, and explosives; upon completion of his Air Force training he was offered a chance to become a fighter pilot flying P40's, which he quickly declined; he flew as a tail gunner on B17's on the east coast hunting German submarines; and was transferred to England in August of 1942 where he was stationed for three years with the 92nd Bomber Group, 327 Squadron, at Alconbury and Podington, England.
He was married before shipping out to England; he was discharged as a Staff Sergeant in September, 1945. While in England he went out in the countryside and sketched and painted old churches, cemeteries, castles, and caricatures of military life. He also sketched many of the Squadron's B17's as they returned from missions and kept a notebook of these drawings. He had several exhibitions of his paintings while in England and was profiled in the military newspaper for the 92nd Bomber Group; named as artist of the week for the 92nd Bomber Group and had several exhibitions of his art work while in England.
Upon his return to Memphis, he began his professional career as a graphic artist and later became a professional commercial photographer. He was a member of the old Memphis Artists Guild and a member and past president of the Memphis Photography Association. He was a docent for the Memphis Belle Association for a number of years and was one of its featured volunteers in its Spring 2003 publication. He was also profiled in the book Fame's Favored Few which was written about the 327th and members of that Squadron. He was the owner of Rex Brasher Photography, Inc. for many years and later Brasher-Rucker Photography at the time of his retirement at the age of 83.
He was formerly a member of Prescott Baptist Church where his parents were early members; after he returned from military service, he and his wife, Juanita, were part of the original group of families founding Colonial Baptist Church in Colonial Acres where he organized the first Junior and Intermediate baseball teams.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William Earlye and Modell Landreth Brasher, both of Calhoun County, Mississippi; and a brother, James Robert Brasher.
His father died October 05, 1962 in Calhoun County, MS. of the age 61.
He leaves his wife of 72 years, Juanita Jones Brasher, 3 children: Rex L. Brasher, Jr. (Marilyn) of Memphis, Tennessee; David Ronald Brasher of Columbia, Maryland; and Cheryl Elaine Brasher Lester of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; two granddaughters: April Brasher Burtnick of Liberty, Pennsylvania, and Peggy Lester Hudkins of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; five great grandchildren; and dear friends Jim and Paula Harris.
Interment to take place at Memorial Park Cemetery.
Information from www.memorialparkonline.com
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