A “Celebration of Life” service was held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, November 30th for friends and family wishing to share memories of Brian Wade, a well-known radio host who had passed away unexpectedly. The service, full of laughter and tears, was officiated by Brian’s father, Jerry Wade and was held at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church.
The ceremony began with Brian’s family, each holding a donated toy in his honor, being seated. Brian’s father, Jerry, shared how his son started his radio career, expressing pride in his son’s accomplishments. He invited family members to come forward and share their own stories and experiences. Brian’s young son was the first, explaining an unusual addition to the floral arrangements displayed near the podium.
“You want to tell them what you did, in honor of your daddy?” asked Jerry. Brian’s son smiled, and answered, “My dad had a fear of snakes. I’d be outside playing, and he’d yell ‘Brent! Come here! I need you to get rid of a snake!’ and I’d ask why he couldn’t get it. He said ‘Cause I’m afraid!’ and I was like you’re sacrificing my life for yours?”
Brent further explained that he and his sister decided to put a few fake snakes in the flower decorations, as a humorous way to remember their dad. Brent went on to share that he and his father would often read Calvin and Hobbes comic series. Brent would ask his dad to explain some of the more complicated words. “I’m still reading those books, trying to figure out big words in them,” Brent said.
Brian’s wife, Tina, followed, encouraging attendees to “Feel free to laugh, we’re here to celebrate, so it’s okay to laugh.” She then pulled a pink bowl from her purse and exclaimed, “I have the real pink bowl!” to which the family laughed. Jerry explained the bowl had a family history, when the Wade children were younger and often squabbled over who would get cereal in the bowl, because it was slightly bigger. One Christmas, Brian’s mother Cheri purchased several pink bowls and gave them as gifts to her older children. There was always a debate as to who had received the “real” pink bowl.
“I wanted to open with that story so you could know this family, and their heart. Brian’s smile originated with Jerry and Cheri,” said Tina. “Brian just taught me so much about joy. I didn’t think he was real at first, because he was so kind.”
She finished by sharing an excerpt for Jerry and Cheri, from the book “Breaking the Adolescent Parent Cycle: Valuing Fatherhood and Motherhood” by Jack C. Westman.
“You are the bows from which your children, as living arrows, are set forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and he bends you with his might, that his arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness. For even as he loves the arrow that flies, he also loves the bow that is stable.”
Jerry then went on to introduce Brian’s younger brother, Matt, who shared how his brother was constantly encouraging him. During Matt’s freshman year in high school, the family had moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, the transition was difficult for Matt. “I don’t make friends well, I’m reserved usually,” Matt shared. “But Brian, being Brian, within two weeks had met everyone at every school everywhere in Tulsa. He doesn’t go anywhere that he doesn’t make friends. And he had a girlfriend already. But Brian knew I was struggling and I wasn’t going to get out there myself. I was willing to just lock myself in my room. One of the first times he actually got this girl to really go out with him he came into my room and said ‘Hey, we’re going out with Debbie, come on get dressed.’ I said I’m not going on a date with you!” Matt laughed.
“Brian said ‘I’m not leaving you, it’s just a girl, we’re just getting ice cream.’ and I said no, but Brian said, ‘Well forget it then, I’ll cancel with her and you and I will go.’ And that’s just how Brian was. There’s not too many juniors in high school that would do that. Brian was always pulling me along,” Matt said.
Brian’s best friend JT, was present and shared a special memory of a friendly rivalry over a license plate switched pulled by Brian. JT is a University of Oklahoma fan, while Brian supported University of Texas. As JT was preparing to travel to California, Brian switched his OU vanity plate for his own UT plate. During JT’s travel, the UT plate blew off and was lost. After Brian called to see if JT had noticed his new plate, the two laughed because it was Brian who had ended up with no plate at all. Brian and JT then kept the OU vanity plate and wrote the score for the football game between the university teams each year, sending the plate to whichever friend who’s team had won. Several year’s worth of scores were written on the back. JT wanted to continue the tradition with Brian’s young son, Brent. “This is a legacy that I don’t want to stop. And Brent, if you want, I want to continue this tradition with you.”
Brian’s older brother Robert was next to share his memories, which included his experience after an accident in 2005, in which Robert had a difficult time recovering, mental and physically. “During that time that I was struggling, Brian had taken up running,” Robert said. After Brian completed a marathon, Robert at the finish line said that he wanted to run in a race with Brian.
Robert signed up for a race and told Brian that he didn’t want to run alone but he was certain he couldn’t keep up with Brian’s brisk pace. “He said ‘I’ll stay by your side, but you can’t walk. As long as you’re running, I’ll be by your side.’ And that was a lot because as a runner, you want to post your top time. But if I was in a race he promised to stay by my side. That was something he did in several races with me. He wouldn’t go on and finish ahead of me. Except in this case. That’s something he did, and I’m not too happy about for finishing this particular race,” said Robert.
Brian’s sister, Charity, also explained how Brian was there for her after the death of her son. “Every year, Brian would drop what he was doing on Garrett’s birthday and call me up, and take me wherever I wanted to go and he would sit there and let me share memories of Garrett and cry. Every year he was the one who dropped what he was doing and came to be with me on my son’s birthday. That’s the kind of person he was.”
Brian’s stepchildren also shared their memories. His stepdaughter, Khloe, explained she had looked up the meaning of the word ‘step’ to better illustrate their relationship. “The first definition was a particular way in which one walks. And Brian walked in love and he walked with the Lord,” she said. “Another definition was a group of steps. Also known as a ladder, which he was really familiar with, being his height,” Kloe joked. “The final definition was a step can be defined as a stage in a gradual process. I was fortunate enough to be involved in the final stage of this crazy, beautiful life. Brian’s life.”
Brian’s stepson Kaleb also shared how Brian put him first, even during a difficult financial stage for their family. Kaleb was working as an intern in Dallas and had come to visit his family one weekend. “I got in my car and was headed back towards Dallas, I stopped at a gas station and checked my wallet and Brian had given me gas money, and there was a note that said how proud he was of me. And that just shows what kind of person he was, to think about me, when they’re going through financial things. He treated me like his own son.”
“If I’m anything like Brian when I grow up, it’s going to be really special,” Kaleb said.
Brian’s daughter, Ashtin, also spoke of her dad’s dedication. “I see him in so much, and realize so much that he did for me. No matter what was going on, he was always there for me.”
Brian Wade’s death was keenly felt by his family and all those who knew him. His legacy of serving others carries on this year as the community comes together to donate to the Brown County Toys for Kids program in his honor. His family encourages the community to make it the best year yet.
Several local businesses have pledged to place boxes for new, unwrapped toy collections in Brian’s honor, including: Caldwell Banker offices, Car Corral, Countryside Therapy, the Heartland Association of Realtors, the Rage Salon, Early City Hall, Section Hand Steakhouse, Prosperity Bank, Willie’s T’s, Apollo Computers, Brady Health Care Services, Lone Star Home and Loan, the Runaway Train Cafe, KG Dance Studio, Bob’s Fuels, the Brownwood Fire Department, Jacob’s Pharmacy, and Anytime Fitness. Toys can be donated at the memorial service, or can be dropped off at Wendlee Broadcasting, 600 Fisk, in downtown Brownwood.
