Tricia Brown loves her job and new hometown
FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS
BY SUZANNE LOUDAMY Staff writer

Tricia Brown

Tricia Brown came to town with a family in tow and lots of moving miles under her belt.

That was nine years ago and a lot has happened since those first days of settling in for what would be her first "long-term" home in a long time.

"I lived my whole life in one town," Brown said. "I didn't know how to deal with moving around so much."

But she took it in stride and got used to it. Her husband Gerry was in the Air Force and the military isn't big on leaving people in one place for too long.

"We lived in Mississippi, Montana, Guam, Lubbock, Universal City and Colorado Springs," Brown said. "It seems strange to me, but our girls got quite used to pulling up roots and moving every few years."

The move to Colorado Springs brought her husband's retirement from the Air Force. He took that opportunity to continue his education and family moved to Louisiana, but got back to Texas just as fast as they could.

With the move to Whitehouse, Tricia made fast friends with Debbie Shafer.

"Debbie's husband Dave is Gerry's boss," Brown said. "She was one of my first friends here."

"Debbie could see I needed to get out of the house so she got me busy," Brown said. "I don't remember if we went to Bible study first or Keep Whitehouse Beautiful. But she got me busy."

Brown quickly fell in love with the work of KWB. Whether it's recycling, tree planting or the Great Texas Trash Off, Brown is there to do her part.

At one of the first meetings of this dedicated group of people, Brown met Helen Hutto. Hutto introduced her to her future "home away from home." Her love for books had found a place to blossom. That place was the Whitehouse Community Library.

Brown spent four years as a volunteer doing everything from shelving books to cleaning the bathroom.

For most of those years the library was completely staffed by volunteers. It has only been in the past five or six years that payment was available to any of the faithful who keep the doors open and the books ready to read.

Brown says not to tell that she would do the job without the pay, but she really loves what she does.

"I enjoy meeting people and helping them find what they need or helping them with the computers," Brown said. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't enjoy it. I don't stay for the money!"

"The library would not be the same without her," library director Sandra Knackstedt said. "She keeps me going around here."

Brown has really enjoyed putting down roots in Whitehouse. Her daughters Stephanie, Jessica and Angela have as well. Jessica snagged herself a husband in Dustin Rust. Right now the entire family is working non-stop to get Dustin elected to office as constable of precinct three.

"I don't do anything halfhearted," Brown said. "Whether it's working for the environment through KWB, helping broaden people's horizons here at the library or getting my son-in-law elected to a position he believes in, I'm there."

Tricia Brown is there. She's here, in her new hometown of Whitehouse.