Diane Dee (Stansberry) Brownlee was born in San Angelo, Texas on December 24, 1950 to F.T. and Charlcy (Taylor) Stansberry of Eden, Texas. Diane passed away peacefully during the early morning hours on Tuesday, October 7, 2025 at her home in San Angelo, Texas.
Diane grew up as the youngest of four children in a ranching family north of Eden, Texas. She attended school and church in Eden, graduating in 1969 and baptized as a young teenager at the Eden Methodist Church.
Diane’s favorite childhood activity was to be horseback helping her family work cattle, whether it was in Texas or on the family ranch in Arizona in the summers. As a child, family and friends knew her best for her paint horse “Paint” and always having her little dog Snoopy in tow. She often expressed that she was not at all thrilled when her parents built a house in Eden and moved her and her siblings to town.
Diane spent most of her adult life ranching in Concho and Menard counties. She took on the role of wife, helpmate, and mother in 1969 after marrying Charles Hurst and beginning their family on a ranch in Concho County.
They welcomed their first daughter Lara in 1969 and their second daughter Julie in 1974. Life later took Diane to Alpine where she’d remarry to her late husband Sam Brownlee on February 1,1986. They resided in Alpine until they returned to one of the family ranches in Menard County in 1991.
Diane continued ranching after Sam’s sudden death in 2007, then moved to San Angelo in 2013 to be closer to her daughters after her mother’s passing in 2012. Diane endured a lot of loss in her life which grew her into the strong willed and independent person she was.
She was known for the joy brought to her by all of her animals throughout her life. Her cows, horses, goats, cats, and dogs. They meant everything to her.
She made it difficult to sell her livestock crop each year because she had named each and every calf and gathered up newborn goats while their mommas were out grazing to make them her bottle babies.
Diane will always be remembered for her laughter and her sweet and sassy soul with a forgiving heart.
Diane is preceded in death by her parents F. T. and Charlcy Stansberry, her husband Sam Brownlee, brother John Charles Stansberry, and sister Judy Clark.
Diane is survived by her daughters Lara Lynn Kinsey and her husband Jack, and Julie Rainey and her husband Clint all of San Angelo. One brother Robert Stansberry and his wife Barbara of Eden. Father of her children Charles Hurst of Eden. Two grandsons Justin Hahn and River Kinsey. One granddaughter Morgan Kinsey. Diane also leaves behind several nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Graveside service for Diane were held October 10, 2025 at the Eden Cemetery.
