What's in the Water in Midland, Texas?

Written by Sharon Watts Brown

Though Sharron and I have not lived near each other for the last forty eight years, it is still difficult to
write a biography of early years as “I” and not “we.” Please bear with me as “we” begin this bio.
Seven months after the 1940 Texas vs OU (BOOMER SOONER) Cotton Bowl game the result of
our folks fun time that weekend came in the premature arrival of not one baby girl but twins! Plus we
arrived on our older sister, Jean Ann’s 5th birthday!
We were born in Midland, third generation Midlanders. Our daddy, Ed Watts, was the youngest
District Landman ever hired by Sinclair Petroleum Company. His whole career was as a landman. He
passed away quite suddenly in 1974 of an aorta! aneurysm. Our mother, Jean Watts, was known by
many of you as she volunteered at Club 15 and also at the Youth Center when we were in MHS.
Mother passed away this past May 9th at age 95. Our parents were divorced in 194 7, a rare thing
back in that day and time.
We grew up at 909 West Kansas, down the street from Andy Elliott, around the corners from Ruth
Ann Erskine, Mike and Margaret Scobey, and not far from Paula Crites, Suzanne Martin, Wade
Parks, Mary Jane Aldridge, Susan Jones, Deborah Dixson, Patsy Aday, Betty Jane Walden, Charles
Guisey, Hope Russell, and others. A core group of our friends were the children of friends my folks
grew up with. After reading the bios of other classmates we feel blessed to have spent all of my early
years in one place. We attended North Elementary 1 st through 3rd, 4th at MHS, 5th -6th grades back at
North Elementary, then on to San Jacinto Jr. High and finally MHS.
After graduation from MHS we attended Texas Tech where I studied art and Sharron studied football
players! I returned to Tech for my sophomore year while Sharron stayed in Midland working for
Kniffin’ s Jewelers. Sharron “hated school, hated _having to work, and felt her life began when she
became a ‘kept woman,’ as the wife of Lt. David Caruso in 1961, and she has enjoyed being a ‘kept
woman,” for the past forty-eight years!”
In 1960 I was introduced to my future soul mate, Charlie Brown, by Paula Crites. Our first date was
on Halloween of 1960; later I was to learn I was Charlie’s third date for the day! Third time charm! .
Six months later I got my Mrs. Charlie Brown degree! After we married we headed back to Midland,
leaving Lubbock in the rearview mirror of Charlie’s 1956 Chevy Del Ray, VS. Our daughter,
Shirleyanne, was born in Midland. In 1962 we moved to Beaumont for Charlie Brown to finish his
EE degree at Lamar State College. After graduation we began our life as “gypsies,” moving twenty
seven times following Charlie Brown’s interesting and varied career path, before settling down in
1980 in Edmond, Oklahoma. During our “gypsy,” years I worked as an assistant in an optical shop, a
dental office manager.
In 2003 after twenty-three years since I had painted anything, I decided to try my hand at pet
portraits again. As the scanned image of the first portrait I painted came up on my computer monitor
my vision became blurred with tears and I gasped at the beautiful essence I had captured in the eyes
of my dog Keeper. All of my life experiences were revealed to me at that moment and my future, as a
pet portrait artist was re-ignited. I immediately began my pet portrait business, Pets Brushed With
Love, http://www.pbwl.us. My love for all animals has blessed me with the gift of capturing the essence of
pets from their photographs. I have touched the lives of many wonderful people as I have painted
their pets.

My life is broader than just my paintings. I’m a trained Stephen Minister and Leader, Elder, Healing
Prayer Minister/ Healing Touch Minister, and sing alto in the chancel choir at First Christian Church
Edmond. Grief and ministry to the elderly are where I have been called to serve.
Our daughter, Shirleyanne is assistant property manager and receptionist for GBR Properties and our
son-in-law Don Johnson, is a gifted mechanic and trim tech for South Pointe Chevrolet in Tulsa. We
have one granddaughter.
My life has been blessed many times over.