Written by Amanda Coers – Early city officials and members of law enforcement gathered together on Thursday at 10 a.m. at McDonald Park to surprise the family of well-loved Brown County Sheriff Bobby Grubs with a memorial bench dedicated to honor his memory.
The sheriff’s wife, Joy, along with their daughter and son-in-law, Jannell and David Johnson and their daughter Abby were greeted as they arrived. David Johnson had been charged with the task of brining the family to the park without their knowledge of the planned dedication. Officers with the Brownwood and Early Police Departments along with members of the Sheriff’s Office and even a few Texas Rangers in attendance welcomed the family to join them as Early City Manager Tony Aaron gave a few words.
“We’re here to honor a great man who we all know,” Aaron said, before the unveiling of the bench crafted with representations of Grubbs’ Texas Ranger and sheriff badges. Aaron himself had worked for Grubbs as a deputy and narcotics investigator. Brown County Precinct 3 Constable Roy Parrack and his wife, Charlotte, coordinated the project, which was sponsored by multiple donors.
“He taught me to be the best version of myself,” Aaron said, at times becoming emotional as he remembered the sheriff. “He inspired you to be better than what you thought you were. I can tell you right now, if it wasn’t for Bobby Grubbs, I wouldn’t be right here. He taught me to be a better person that I thought I was, to be a better person tomorrow than I am today.”
Sheriff Grubbs had a career in law enforcement that spanned 50 years. He worked for the Texas Department of Safety as a Highway Patrol Officer, served as a Texas Ranger, and was elected Sheriff of Brown County in 2004. He died at the age of 70 in 2015.
