Britain Webb, Iv

Britain Rice Webb of Marfa, Texas, passed peacefully at his home on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, to join his Heavenly Father.

Britain - or Brit as most knew him - was born to Stella South Webb and Samuel Edmond Webb on July 21, 1928, on the family farm near Clyde, Texas.  He was the tenth child in a family of fourteen brothers and sisters. Brit was named after his great grandfather who served honorably as a member of the Mississippi State House, Senate, and later as Secretary of State for the State of Mississippi.

Brit married Laurel Alexander Webb on July 19, 1951, in Sacramento, California.  He and Laurel proudly adopted all four of their children: Diane, James, Robert, and Krista.  Brit and Laurel were happily married for 58 years before Laurel’s passing in 2009.

Brit honorably served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War.  He graduated from Marfa High School, received a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Sul Ross State University, and completed doctoral work at Texas Tech University.

Brit committed 30 years of his life to education - as a teacher, principal, and superintendent in various places all over West Texas including, Marfa, Valentine, Van Horn, Imperial, and Talpa.  He and his late wife Laurel believed strongly in the power of education and instilled that value in their family and students. After retirement, he then committed another 30 years working as owner and operator of Brit Webb’s Service Station in Marfa, Texas.

Brit was a devout Christian and Member of the United Methodist Church, previously serving on the Board of Directors of the Methodist Children’s Home in Waco, Texas.

Brit earned the reputation of being “Mr. Marfa” and was an integral citizen of the Greater West Texas Big Bend community.  In his lifetime, he served on the Marfa ISD School Board, Marfa City Council, Lions Club, and Chamber of Commerce; and he was always a community and church leader everywhere he lived.

Brit is preceded in death by his wife Laurel Alexander Webb, son Robert Clay Webb, daughter Diane Webb Miller, and grandson Ryan Walter Miller.  He is survived by his daughter Krista Webb of Round Rock, Texas; son James Webb of Marfa, Texas; sisters Amy Faircloth of Clyde, Texas, and Betty Farmer of Abilene, Texas; brother Charley Webb of Hibbing, Minnesota; grandchildren Clarissa Vasquez, Keshia Vasquez, and Isaiah Hill all from Round Rock, Texas; grandson Wesley Citty of Massanutten, Virginia; son-in-law Walter Miller of Waelder, Texas; honorary grandson Lance Webb of Marfa, Texas; and many other family members and friends.

Graveside services will be at Marfa Cemetery on Wednesday, December 23, 2020, at 1:00 p.m.  The service will be streamed via Facebook Live through Brit Webb’s Facebook page to limit social gatherings.  There will be a viewing in Alpine, Texas, at Alpine Memorial Funeral Home beginning at 10:00 a.m. that same morning.  Social distancing & masks will be required.

A “Celebration of Life” event in Marfa will be announced at a later date. It is tentatively scheduled for summer when the pandemic has subsided and when it will be safe for family and friends to gather together to fondly remember a wonderful, caring, and beloved man: Britain R. Webb.

The family asks that any memorial donations be made in his honor to the Methodist Children’s Home in Waco, Texas, an organization dear to his heart.