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Barbara Hinson Brightwell

Barbara Hinson Brightwell

Barbara Hinson Brightwell

Barbara Hinson Brightwell passed from this life to join her beloved George and the saints of heaven on Friday, June 9, 2023. A celebration of her life is scheduled for Wednesday, June 28, at 2 p.m. to be held at the Lois Perkins Chapel at Southwestern University.

Barbara was born in Lubbock, Texas, on August 4, 1935, to Howard and Louise Lawson Hinson. In 1953, she met her future husband, George, in the Methodist Youth Fellowship at the First Methodist Church of Fort Worth, and when George made the decision to matriculate to Rice University, Barbara decided to alter her choice of universities to attend the University of Houston. During this time in Houston, they were both cheerleaders at their respective colleges. Barbara earned her BBA and MEd from the University of Houston, and her Doctor of Ministry degree from San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, California. Upon attaining their bachelor’s degrees, George and Barbara were married on October 24, 1958. They were married 64 years at the time of their deaths.

A long-time teacher, counselor and administrator, Barbara taught in the Spring Branch School District, Houston Baptist College, and St. Agnes Academy in Houston, and at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where she served as Dean of Students.

For more than 28 years, Barbara served as Director of Community Relations at Georgetown Hospital. Her interest in ministry to persons in the hospital and their families goes back to her mother’s sudden death in 1968 when she was a young woman in Houston. During her time at Southwestern she often counseled students who were ill, who lost friends or dealt with tragedy and to learn more she attended the Episcopal Seminary in Austin for continuing education in clinical pastoral care.

Barbara’s vision was to start a chaplaincy program at Georgetown Hospital. Chaplaincy programs are usually seen in large hospitals with paid staff.  As was her practice, she gathered the support of the hospital administrator, the local ministerial alliance and began a volunteer chaplaincy program at Georgetown Hospital that continues today. In 2002, an interfaith chapel was constructed through the generosity of the Brightwells and their friends.  The chapel with its quiet space and gorgeous stained-glass window commissioned by Barbara serves today as a place where families can gather for solace and peace.

Through her work at Georgetown Hospital, Barbara served on the administrative leadership team. She began offering a variety of support groups to the community including a grief group for widows and engaged community leaders in partnerships to develop new community programs. She was a master at developing relationships across the community to come together to solve problems and create new services. Through her leadership, the hospital hosted many working groups that have had major impacts in the community including The Georgetown Project, Community Resource Center, a Women’s Hearth Health initiative including Dr. DeBakey as a featured speaker, and initial meetings regarding the development of a Community Clinic.

She also served on the Hospital Board of Directors and was a driving force in developing the Georgetown Healthcare Foundation that raised millions to support the hospital through capital improvements and equipment. Once the hospital joined in partnership with St. David’s Healthcare System, that Foundation became the Georgetown Health Foundation and she provided guidance and leadership on that board and as Board Chair for a number of years.

Barbara was a servant leader in the best sense of the word.  She was a listener, an encourager, and a mentor to many, including many young women. Her passion and perseverance were contagious and if she asked you to participate in a project, it was seen as an honor.   

In 2015, she suggested that the history of healthcare in Georgetown needed to be documented.  With her characteristic organizational skills she gathered a group of friends to help, asked the Georgetown Health Foundation to fund the project and so began a three-year-long project that in 2018 produced a book and two hour documentary called Caring for Georgetown, The Story of Healthcare, a Hospital and a Community. 1848-2018!

She was one of the founders of the women’s philanthropic group, Seeds of Strength in 2010.  A women’s giving circle which now has 215 members and has given over $2 million in community grants through 2023.

Other local nonprofits that have benefited from her leadership and service include: LifeSteps Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, The Georgetown Project, ROCK (Ride On Center for Kids), Georgetown Community Resource Center, Brookwood in Georgetown, Boys and Girls Club, Williamson County YMCA, Faith in Action and untold numbers of committees and task forces formed to address community issues

While never seeking recognition for her community work, Barbara received many honors.  She was recognized by the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce as Citizen of the Year, and subsequently as the Williamson County Citizen of the Year.  She was also given the Frist Humanitarian Award from St. David’s Healthcare System in Austin, annual recognition by HCA hospitals for dedicated employees, physicians and volunteers.

At the first annual ROCK Cowgirl Bruncheon in November 2022, The Barbara Brightwell Grit Award in honor of Dr. Brightwell’s decades long career of service was presented to her as the first recipient. “No grit, no pearl!” With her sense of fairness, kindness, inclusiveness and gratitude there is no doubt Barbara was a pearl of high value!

Barbara and George were founding members of Wellspring, which began with core team meetings in their own living room. Every Sunday, Barbara could be found at the front desk greeting people as they arrived. The radical hospitality for which Wellspring is known can largely be attributed to her legacy.

Barbara and George have been honored with many community awards including: the Sam Brady-Paul Harris Award (for non-Rotarian’s who have made a vital impact on community) by the Georgetown Downtown Rotary Club, the Jeremiah Wilbank Award by the Boys and Girls Club in 2010, and the Georgetown Family YMCA Volunteer of the Year Award in 2021.    There is a Welcome Plaza named in their honor at ROCK, and the ROCK Equine Alley is named for Barbara.   A soon to be released documentary, called “Where Horses Heal the Soul” was a special project of both Barbara and George.  They were also honored recently with the naming of the Brightwell Loop fronting the Williamson County Juvenile Justice Center.

Barbara’s love for children and youth was a part of who she was, and it was evident in her church and community philanthropy as well as the time she gave to organizations focused on improving the health and well-being of young people.

Barbara was preceded in death by her beloved George. She is survived by her brother, Larry Hinson, was very close to her brother’s children, Laurie Kohrs, and Collier Hinson, a niece, Shelly Frank and a host of family and friends who always felt related to Barbara and George. Though they had no children of their own, the service and financial support of the Brightwell’s leaves a legacy of many, many of God’s children who have benefited from her life.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution of time, talent or treasure to one of the following charities or to a charity of your choice (information about donations and giving is on each organization’s website):

Wellspring United Methodist Church at https://wellumc.org/giving/contributions

ROCK (Ride On Center for Kids) at
https://rockride.org/donate/

The Georgetown Project at https://georgetownproject.org/donate/