WILLCOX Cowboy Hall of Fame inductees

NORMAN “PETE” BRAWLEY (115)
1930-
2014 COWBOY HALL OF FAME

Pete Brawley was born in 1930, and his family moved to Duncan, Arizona, in 1935. Pete went to school at Duncan High School and graduated in 1948. Sports played a big part in his life while he was in high school. Pete said, “The only reason I went to school was to play ball.”

Pete was given a partial scholarship to play basketball at the University of Arizona. He left the U of A after his first year and enrolled at Eastern Arizona College to get his degree. He had full intentions of obtaining a degree, but a young lady named Loretta John changed those plans. The couple married in 1950.

Loretta’s father introduced Pete to the ranching life when he invited Pete and Loretta to move to Colorado to help take of a ranch. In 1962, Pete left Colorado and returned to SE Arizona to manage ranches for Rex Ellsworth. Pete managed the Hackberry Ranch which runs between Safford and Duncan north of Bowie, as well as, the One Hundred-Eleven, the Slick Rock Ranch, and the Three Links west of Willcox. In 1977, he and Loretta bought the Tanque Ranch which shares a fence line with the Hackberry.

Pete was known for his conservation efforts. He said, “If you get ten inches of rain a year and eight of it runs off you haven’t gained much.” Pete was always looking for ways to improve the land. He loved his conservation work. His motto was: “Leave it in better shape than when you got there.”

Pete has been recognized by federal, state and independent agencies for his work. He has served the agricultural community tirelessly through his work on boards, committees and commissions at the local, state and national level.

Pete and Loretta Brawley have four children: Lee, Brad, Cammie and Mark. All are either directly or indirectly involved with the ranch.