Jan. 6, 2007 — Charles Brownlee Herndon, who abandoned his Houston law practice to sail his custom sailboat through the Caribbean for almost 20 years, died Dec. 30 in Texas. He was 71.
Herndon, a 15-year prostate cancer survivor, returned to Houston in 1997 from St. Thomas, which he had made his home for more than a decade. He was later diagnosed with throat cancer, but it didn't dampen his spirit of adventure, according to an obituary in the Houston Chronicle online.
"He wanted everybody to know that you can live with cancer and you can do many things," Herndon's ex-wife Jaye Tullai told the Houston Chronicle.
That spirit of adventure lives on, according to the many friends Herndon left on St. Thomas. Though he has been gone for 10 years, memories of him are fresh as today.
"Charlie was a unique person," said Warren Anderson. "He could be the grumpiest guy you ever knew, but also the most loyal.
"I met him when I was tending bar downtown at Famous after Hurricane Hugo," Anderson said. "We got to talking and discovered I was also from Texas with a law degree, and things moved from there."
Anderson, also an attorney, went to work for Herndon as a paralegal.
"Charlie loved sailing; he used to live on his boat, but he built a home near Hull Bay, a beautiful home where he and Jaye lived," he said. "When he left, he cut a fantastic deal on the house, because he wanted to sell it to someone he liked.
"He and Bill Collins, of Texas Pit Barbeque, were the founders of the Chili Cook-Off here. Charlie was a survivor. He was a tough old bird."
Janelle Belcher, who bought Herndon's home with her husband, Jose, says Herndon still exudes a feeling in the home. "He was a really awesome all-around guy; a sailing enthusiast, roadsters. He was a good part of the sailing community here."
Herndon's ashes will be scattered in the garden of his St. Thomas home along with those of his late dog "Hobo." "That fluffy little dog was part human," Belcher says. "He was a part of this house.
"Everybody who comes here talks about the good vibes. Charlie's spirit never leaves here – he could fill a room talking for all the right reasons."
Psychologist Tom Tyne expressed the some of the same sentiments as Anderson in recalling his long friendship and sometime partnership with Herndon. "So many stories," he said. "He was a lawyer by trade, but he had a degree in geology — he'd wildcatted in Texas before he went to law school.
"He was the most difficult, yet rewarding friend you ever knew," Tyne said. "He was unique. We were partners in a bunch of things, a yacht brokerage at Yacht Haven, which dissolved after Hurricane Hugo in '89. He was always ready to make a deal."
Tyne laughed at a memory. "He could walk down the dock and have three best friends in half an hour," he said. "People were just drawn to him. And he would lay on this Texas drawl — people wouldn't understand how well read he was and what he knew about politics. He had a master's degree in [the late President] Lyndon Johnson."
Herndon's wisdom influences Tyne's professional practice today. "The most valuable lesson I ever learned was from Charlie," Tyne said. "He said most problems are caused by what you expect from somebody, and what they can do. Expectations are at the heart of it."
Herndon was born in Harlingen, Texas, on Jan. 10, 1936, and raised in McAllen, where his father was a produce broker. While working as a charter captain, Herndon met Tullai on St. John. They were married in New Orleans in 1989. She later joined Tyne and Herndon in the yacht brokerage business.
After returning to Houston, Herndon helped found the Houston Roadsters hot rod club. Dozens of roadsters were expected to show up at noon last Saturday for a memorial luncheon at Treebeards in downtown Houston, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Herndon is survived by his daughter, Erica McCready, of Houston, and ex-wives Jaye Tullai and Pamela Childress.
Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to The Sunshine Kids Foundation, 2814 Virginia St., Houston, TX 77098.
