Person:Richard Browning (10)

Auto dealership owner From an obituary written by his family: Dick was fulfilled in life. He was born the youngest of four children of a farming family. When he was nine years old, the family pakced what they could in suitcases, boarded a train, and came to "the promised land" - Long Beach, California. The family opened a small coffee shop on Fourth Street in downtown Long Beach, where the whole family pitched in and worked. Dick attended Long Beach Poly High School and graduated in 1932 during the heart of the depression. Times were tough then, but Dick already had the work eithic. He worked in the restaurant, had an early morning route delivering pies, and was a caddie at Virginia country club. he loved golf, and his great joy was when the caddies were allowed to play nine holes. He dreamt of one day becoming a member at Virginia. It was on the Long Beach Ply HIgh Senior Ditch Day, on the boat to Catalina, that he connected with pretty little brown-haired Verla Robertson. They danced together all the way across the channel and back. Dick and Verla continued dating after High School. The Depression continued, and the familoy pulled together, everyone working two or three jobs. Dick's mother, Betty Browning, gave away more food to patrons who could not afford to pay than the family sold at the restaurant. Verla got a job at Kress's Five and Ten Cent Store in Long Beach. Dick continued to pursue her. One of his favorite songs remained "I Found a Million Dollar Baby in a Five and Ten Cent Store". Dick was living with his sister, Alberta, and Verla was living in a little apartment down from the restaurant with her friend, Velma. As both their families contemplated moves back to the midwest, hopefully to make a better living, Dick and Verla eloped and married in 1934, telling no one for awhile. Dick was looking for a full time job when a friend told him of an opeing for a lot boy, cleaning and detailing used cars at C. Standlee Martin Oldsmobile. He interviewed with Mr. Martin who told him that the job did not pay enough to support a wife, but he took the job. and, so, he became the world's best dressed lot boy. Dick was always dapper; his shoes were always shined and his clothes were always pressed. Rumor has it that he wore starched shirts while he washed the cars. Dick and Verla both worked, and Dick achieved promotions through the dealership, working in the parts department, service department, used car sales, new car sale, and then becoming gneral manager in the mid 1940's. Meanwhile, Dick and Verla started their family. While Dick was continuing to run the auto dealership and to negotiate a buy out of Standlee Martin which culminated in 1960, he was also focused on his immediate and extended family. There were a lot of camping trips, and the family saved all year each year for a trip to Lake Arrowhead where they could rent a cabin and a boat. Family was always of the highest importance to Dick. It was an extended family in the American farm tradition. There were big family gatherings for birthdays and holidays, with homemade ice cream and a combined effort feast. There never seemed to be any generation gap at these gatherings, and it was usual to see three generations involved ina a game of Yahtzee or Rummy Tiles or badminton. Dick and Roger used to play in golf tournaments together. Dick and Kent built go-carts and went to baseball games. Karen was her father's daughter. Fathers were supposed to love and take care of daughter, and that he did. And he always loved and cared for Verla. She was his "peaches and cream". While the family was growing, Dick was attending to business as only he could. He was a stickler for detail, and he had a batch of pet phrases like "anything worth doing is worth doing right" or "You do the hardest thing first every morning" or "In golf, as in life, never up, never in. Youve got to go for it to get it". He demanded a lot of himself and of those with whom he worked. After Kent graduated with an accounting degree and had worked as a CPA for awhile, he wen tto work with Dick at the now renamed Browning Oldsmobile dealership. Together Dick and Kent moved the Oldsmobile dealership to Cerritos and built the business to where today there are six separate dealerships in the Browning Automotive Group. While doing this, Dick was always active in community affiars: the boy's club, Community Chest, United Way, Kiwanis club, California Heights Methodist church, Southern California Tuna club, and Long Beach Motor Car Dealers' Association. Currently Cerritos Acura is the NO. 1 Acura dealership in the nation, Cerritos Dodge is the No. 1 Dodge dealership in the nation, and Browning Oldsmobile-Mitsubishi is the largest Oldsmobile dealership west of the Mississippi. Dick was still actively involved in the business at the onset of his short illness. Kent continues to run the dealerships today. With a loan from Dick, Roger and his partner opened a law practice whi now employs thirteen lawyers. Karen earned a teaching credential, and she now lives in laguna Beach, where in addition to raising her family and teaching nursery school, she runs half of the significant community activities of Laguan Beach, including the PTA, Laguan Beach Marathon, the Senior Class parties, etc. The success of his work has provided a foundation for the family. Dick used the results of his hard work and good fortune to share with others. He always looked for opportunities to do for and give to others, extending to stranger and friend alike, but he never wanted others to do or buy things for him. Whenever a relative had a problem, Dick was there, not only with material help, but also with lots of encouragement. He gave generously to the greater community. He would take his twenty-plus member extended family on family vacations. Dick was greatly involved with his eight grandchildren. He always kept current with what each of his grandchildren was doing. He always had suggestions. He se up a fund to put each of his grandchildren through college. Family trips were always in the planning - to a dude ranch in Colorade, to Hawaii - family gatherings were organized at Arrowhead or at one of the children's homes. Through it all, Dick remained a simple man who kept his roots down to earth. He was opinionated, and he was headstrong. You always knew what he was thinking. He was also committed. Dick was with one woman for fifty-seven years, and he maintained a group of friends since the 1930's. He loved Verla, his family, and the outdoors. He loved to go to the mountains in his camper. He loved to be in control, and he loved cleanliness and order. Around the neighborhood he carried the nickname "Mr. Clean", and he washed off the sidewalks and patios ofhis neighbors as well as his own. He had a short, pain free illness, spent in the home he loved, surrounded by the people he loved. And when, on Sunday, the control and the order seemed to be escaping him, Dick decided to move on. And where he now is you can be sure that the sidewalks will be cleaner.