The family of longtime Brownwood Police Officer Jack Needler recently donated uniforms, photos and historical items to the Brownwood Police Department in honor of their father and grandfather. This donation includes BPD uniforms which show the progression of changes in the department’s uniforms and patches. (Pictured above with uniforms are family members: (left to right) Cindy Kemp, Donna Fout, Kathy Kemp, and Dianna Little.)
Daughters Dianna Little of Decatur and Donna Fouts and husband Donnie of Waco, came with granddaughters Kathy Kemp of Decatur and Cindy Kemp of Dallas to deliver the memorabilia to BPD records secretary Fern Snow.
Little and Fouts also brought Brownwood Volunteer Fire Department mementos such as a fire log, fireman’s handbook and fire department photos from the 1920’s. Their grandfather, John Taylor served as a fireman in Brownwood for many years, and he and his wife lived in the fire station with their four girls during much of that time.
Jack Needler served as an officer at Brownwood Police Department from 1957-1987. His partner for much of the time was officer Felix Salazar, according to the family.
The ladies spoke of their father, Needler, as a quiet man who was slow to speak, who thought about what he was going to say before saying anything and not quick tempered.
“He was a quiet man who thought about what he was going to say,” said Fouts.
“I guess his philosophy was that it is better to say nothing at all than to say something you’d regret later,” said Little.
“When he spoke you knew it was important,” said Kathy Kemp. “I always got advice from him. You’d always get the good stuff from him.”
The family talked about Needler being meticulous about his uniform and his pride as an officer. They also told of his generosity to the community.
According to his daughters, Needler coached the police department sponsored little league team, which was made up of mostly underprivileged kids. Little and Fouts told of how their dad would give rides to the boys so they could make it to practice and games, bought gloves and made sure that many of the kids had uniforms. Needler made sure his family supported the team as well taking his girls to every game, they said.
According to granddaughter Kathy, Needler helped local students get the school supplies they needed each year.
“He set up an account with the pharmacist so that he could anonymously help kids who couldn’t buy school supplies,” said Kathy. “The pharmacist told me that he asked him to put it on this account when kids came in and could not afford to pay for what they needed. We wouldn’t have known if the pharmacist hadn’t told us.”
Kathy also spoke of how up until the last years of his life, Needler continued to give, working to learn sign language so that he could interpret in court for the deaf.
“He tried to learn sign language the last five years of his life, before his death,” said Kathy. “He didn’t get to finish.”
The family explained that Needler developed cancer and died at the age of 86. They stated that he played golf until he got too sick to get out, loved to walk at the park with his family for exercise.
His granddaughters Kathy and Cindy Kemp also explained how they respected their grandfather so much, they actually thought the statue of Douglas McArthur at Howard Payne’s Academy of Freedom, was of their grandfather when they were little. To this day, it still reminds them of him.
The items donated by the Needler family will be on display at the Brownwood Police Department. Some of his uniforms are under consideration for future display at the Brown County Museum.
Below are photos of memorabilia.
Officer Needler in his patrol car.
Program of 1964 BPD Awards Banquet.
Photo from Officer Neelder’s Employement file at BPD.
Photo of firestation which was located downtown until the late 1960s.
Fire log from 1927 responses.
BVFD at Station downtown.
Records Secretary Fern Snow (right) receiving items from Donna Fout (left).
Firemen in the 1920s. Pictured 2nd from left on back row is John Taylor, grandfather of Fout and Little.
Fireman John Taylor pictured third from left back row.
