Tony Lynn Brackens was born August 6,1949 in Dallas, Texas to parents Okeith Montgomery and Fairfield native Dorothy Brackens. He attended Dallas schools: J. W. Ray Elementary, St. Peter’s Academy and F.D. Roosevelt High School. He loved visiting his grandparents Osker and Hortense Brackens in Fairfield where in his youth he visited during the summers. He acquired summer jobs working on area farms and ranches and developed a love and appreciation for the “land” and its citizens of Freestone County. He transferred to Fairfield’s Dogan High School for his senior year, graduating in May, 1967. He went to Navarro Jr. College and was hired by Texas Telephone and Telegraph Company in Fairfield in September 1968. Initially, he was in construction for the phone company and received numerous “on the job trainings” which paved the way for promotion to a technical position installing residential phones.
In March of 1969, he married Miss Sherry Andy of Fairfield and one month later was drafted in the U.S. Army for the Vietnam War. His prior work experience and college and work training was implemental in his Army service promotion from PVT, (Private First Class) to a Sergeant E-5 specialist in Army field communications operations. His duties were to maintain/ operate radio and phone signals from his company in the field to the Army base. He as honorably discharged in 1971 and was awarded the National Defense Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Services Medal and the Overseas Service Ribbon and an Honorable Discharge. He was rehired with Continental Phone Company. While employed at Contel in 1982, Tony joined the Army National Guard and served as Tank Commander and resigned in 1985 after a training exercise injury.
Tony’s vison for a more balanced, integrated city government prompted him to run for a Fairfield City Councilman positon in 1983 which he won and served 4 terms. During his terms as a councilman, he worked with other city councilman and others to locate grants to upgrade city services with the installation of water and sewer services to households without indoor plumbing. He served a term as Mayor Pro-tem and was elected in 1992 for one term as the City Mayor becoming Fairfield’s first black mayor. He and city officials partnered with other municipalities –Buffalo to Madisonville for locating funding grants for the promotion of attracting business to a Fairfield Industrial Park and to new residents to living in a small town along the I-45 corridor.
Tony began his involvement in agricultural programs in 1976 with his volunteer service to Freestone County Extension Services and to various like programs such as 4-H Adult Leaders Association, Crop and Vegetable Garden Committee, Beef and Forage Committee, Freestone County Fair Sale Committee. He received the 4-H Clover Award for volunteerism in 1980. As a representatives of Freestone County and Fairfield, Tony and his wife Sherry were showcased in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade in the Astrodome Arena on Freestone County night. Years later, Tony co-founded the Ike Carden Rodeo Association, a non-profit 501-3c organization established to promote rodeos for the funding of college educational scholarships to Freestone County youth. He served as Vice-President/Treasurer from 1999 to 2008.
Other awards for employment achievements and various community services are: Continental Telephone Company, “The Contel of Texas Public Affairs Award” in 1982 and 1985; Outstanding Service Award from Texas A & M University System in 1977 and in 1987, NAACP Community Improvement Award in 1987 and the NAACP Citizenship Award in 1988, and in 1986 Tony was the first black man to receive the Man of the Year Award from the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce. Tony has served on various community board s and is on the Butler Water Board of Directors where he also has served as the board president. As a Dogan School graduate, Tony is a past president of the Dogan School Alumni Association and remains an active member.
Tony has served his church, Jones Chapel Methodist Church faithfully since his initial membership in 1973 and has chaired various church committees needed to support church activities and missions. He and Sherry are choir members and raised their 3 children: Shetonia, Tony Jr. and Keith in the A.M.E. Methodist tradition. These children, now adults are parenting a new Brackens generation to serve the family tradition of public service. The Brackens service legacy is fulfilled!
Submitted by Patricia Pratt – Curator, Freestone County Historical Museum
