Dr. Commander

Dr. Allen Commander of Brenham, Texas, went to be with his heavenly father on July 27, 2014. Dr. Commander was Vice President at the University of Houston and retired after 22 years as Regents Professor of Management. Subsequently he was employed at Texas A&M University as the founding director of A&M''s Institute for Housing and Urban Development. Active in community affairs, Dr. Commander served as President of the Washington on the Brazos Park Association, the Washington County Council, the Brenham Police Department Training Advisory Board and the Independence Drug Task Force. He was an active Rotarian and his lifelong interest led to his support of Brenham''s Buffalo Soldier Troop. Dr. Commander was a 33 degree Mason and served on the Board of the Scottish Rite Childrens Hospital in Dallas. His educational background included graduate degrees from the George Washington University, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced Studies and Harvard University''s Institute for Educational Management. He completed his undergraduate degree at McNeese State University. A Marine Corps veteran of World War II, Dr. Commander was recruited into the foreign service with the U.S. Department of State. His 10 year overseas assignments included the Middle East and Southeast Asia, with three tours in Vietnam. Dr. Commander is survived by his daughter, Catherine Case Commander of Washington, D.C.; nephews Greg Stanley, of Willis, Texas, and Robert Stanley, of Iota, Louisiana, and their families; cousins Billie June Morris and Linda Castle of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and their families. His life was blessed by his many friends in Brenham, across Texas, and around the United States. Family visitation will be held from 5 until 7 p.m. on Friday, August 1st at Memorial Oaks, 1306 West Main, Brenham. A memorial service will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 2nd, in the sanctuary of Brenham''s First Baptist Church, located at 304 North Market Street. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to Hospice of the Brazos Valley or to the Commander scholarship fund at Blinn College. Funeral arrangements for Dr. Allen Commander are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main, Brenham. To post a tribute to the family, visit www.memorialoakschapel.com.