Brown County Sheriff’s Office held a brisket meal fundraiser Tuesday to support their friends, retired Brown County Constable Bob Beadel and his wife Ann, who lost their house to fire earlier this month. The event sold out by 1 p.m., raising more than $4,000 to help the Beadels get resettled.
Bob had served as a reserve officer with Brown County Sheriff’s Office and had maintained many friendships over the years. He stated that he is thankful for the many friends in BCSO and that “the brotherhood is still there.”
He stated that as the fire was dispatched, Captain James Stroope with BCSO had heard and texted him stating, “Bob, I am so sorry. I am listening to the radio. We are going to do at least two fundraisers to help you.”
Bob stated he was amazed at the turnout of the fundraiser, “I was amazed, I had no idea that this many would show up.”
The Beadels are longtime residents of Brownwood and had lived at the home since it was built in 1977, ranching and raising their beloved show rabbits. Both are 1957 graduates of Brownwood High School and married in 1958. Their family owned the JRB Grocery Stores which sold in 1981. They stated that they plan to stay in Brownwood, because it is their home. They lived most of their married life in Brownwood, raising their children and one grandchild.
Bob reminisced about building the home and how they had designed it with many windows.
“We had so many windows, we both love nature and was love God’s creation and living there,” said Bob.
He stated although they loved their years at the ranch, they are unsure what they will do next, whether it will be rebuilding at the ranch or living in town. Mrs. Beadel had major back surgery in December and Bob counts it a blessing that she didn’t perish in the fire. He stated that he had planned to go to town to buy some groceries shortly before the fire started; but that he changed his mind and was making a fire in the fireplace. He noticed the popping noise when he was getting logs for the fire.
Bob stated that he and Ann were at the house when the fire started, he had heard what sounded like something banging on the RV shed walls, and had attempted to enter it; however, the door would not open. He looked into the peep hole and saw flames shooting out of the RV. After telling Ann of the fire, they called 911 and then backed both of their cars out of the garage and away from the home and grabbed a few warm coats.
Bob stated that they didn’t have time to save anything else, that by this time, flames were shooting out of the RV shed and that it had spread into the attic of the home, quickly consuming it as well. Ann waited at the driveway to flag down firetrucks and Bob returned to the house.
A friend and local Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper John Moody had heard the dispatch of the fire at the Beadel residence and immediately came to help. He assisted Bob in moving their rabbits off the property, and was able to save all of the prized show animals. Trooper Moody warned him to get far away from the fire, knowing that the banging noise was the expanding and contracting of the shed walls.
Because they lived several miles outside of the Brownwood city limits, their home was in the jurisdiction of local volunteer fire departments. Because volunteer firefighters do not staff a fire station full time, it took a few extra minutes to get help dispatched. Although the Beadels are thankful for these departments’ help, it was too late for their home. Neighbors came over and suggested they leave and not see the home burn, but the Beadels insisted they had to stay.
“We watched it go up brick by brick and weren’t going to leave until it came down, we were going to stay here until it was no more” said Bob who explained they had planned to live there until they died.
Although they don’t know why the fire had to happen, they do not question God. “God has a purpose,” said Bob. “We just don’t understand it now.”
The Beadels expressed their gratitude for the support shown at the fundraiser.
“I am amazed at the loving, friendly people of Brown County,” said Bob in an emotional moment after the fundraiser. “The people of Brown County are so gracious and kind.”
Pictured above are Bob and Ann Beadel. Below is a photo of attendees waiting in line for the brisket lunch.
