ABILENE, TX – Valree E. Brailsford lived a live of service — both to his country and community.
He was from a family of teachers and knew the value of an education, and his daughter, Karen Land, said he wanted everyone to have the same opportunity to learn.
“My dad just just saw people as people, he didn’t really look at the color of the skin,” she said. “And if and he just wanted people, just everybody to be on an equal footing.”
Brailsford started his career in Abilene ISD as the librarian of a segregated school in 1954.
He retired as an associate principal at Cooper High in 1992, the end of a 38-year long career with the district.
“He loved his job,” said Land. “He just loved it. He loved Cooper. He loved the people at Cooper and the friendships that are that he made while he was there.”
A father of three, Brailsford served as Abilene’s NAACP president and was elected to two terms on the Abilene ISD Board of Trustees — only the second Black person to do so.
When Brailsford’s name was announced as a possible choice for one of three elementary schools, his son, Artie Brailsford, said the family was surprised but honored.
“I mean, it’d be great,” he said.. “That’s for forever, you know, kids would be going to the Valree E. Brailsford Elementary. And you know, that’s something you can tell your grandkids, your great grandkids, you can go by the school and say, this is your grandfather.”
For hundreds of students, Brailsford was the heart of their education who deserves to be remembered.
“Whether he is named or not, it’s just a feeling the joy, the fact that he was even mentioned, you know what I’m saying?” said Brailsford. “That means he’s not forgotten.”
