It was difficult for Virginia Renfro to hear about an accident that killed her elderly friend and left the woman's husband hospitalized with burns, but it was harder still for her to bear the reality of the ordeal.

Mildred Brannon, 84, died in her front yard after catching fire while trying to burn leaves on the ground she carefully groomed over the years.

Her husband, 95-year-old James Brannon, tried to pull her from the fire and suffered burns on both hands. He remained in serious but stable condition late Saturday at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston.

"When I saw who it was, I was just in complete shock," Renfro said, adding that the two women formed a friendship 21 years ago.

Renfro, 75, said Mildred Brannon loved to grow flowers and had the most beautiful variety in her front yard.

"They were very, very, nice people," she said, adding that Mildred Brannon is survived by four daughters.

Grimes County Sheriff Don Sowell said Mildred Brannon was burning leaves and pine straw around 4 p.m. Friday in a ditch near the driveway at the couple's home on F.M. 1774 near Plantersville.

After not hearing from his wife in awhile, James Brannon went to check on her and discovered her on fire, so he rushed into the ditch in an attempt to pull her out but was unsuccessful, Sowell said.

Plantersville Fire Assistant Chief Steve Paiyou happened to drive by and saw the couple fighting the flames, Sowell said. He started helping the couple and called for more help from the fire station that is less than two miles away.

"It could have been missed, [but] fortunately he was at the right place at the right time," Sowell said. "At least somebody happened to see them."

Firefighters pulled James Brannon away from the fire and flew him by helicopter to the Houston hospital, officials said.

Sowell said the Brannons were both well-known members of the community who attend St. Mary's Catholic Church.

"It's just a sad, sad situation for everybody," he said. "I just think, bless her heart, she was just trying to clean her yard up."

Tony Ward, 55, of Plantersville, said he doesn't live too far from the Brannons. Ward said he's known the couple for about 18 years and used to buy hay from them.

The accident really "hit home," Ward said, and he was shocked by the incident.

Ward said he's used to driving down the road and seeing Mildred Brannon with her husband out in the yard. He would honk and wave as he drove by.

"It's still kind of hard to believe," he said.

Funeral services were pending late Saturday.

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