Former West Virginia State Senator Richard Browning, a longtime educator and public servant from Wyoming County, has died.
Browning, born November 14, 1952, served as a Democratic member of the West Virginia Legislature for more than two decades, representing southern West Virginia in both the House of Delegates and the State Senate.
He represented Senate District 9 from 2008 to 2012, following multiple terms in the House of Delegates. Browning first entered the Legislature in 1988, serving in the House until 1996. He returned in 2000 and served until his election to the State Senate in 2008.
Throughout his legislative career, Browning was known for his focus on education, economic development, and issues impacting coalfield communities.
In addition to his work in public office, Browning spent decades in education. He worked as a teacher at Pineville High School from 1975 to 1992 before becoming assistant principal at Oceana High School, a position he held from 1992 to 1997.
Browning earned his bachelor’s degree from Marshall University in 1974. He later completed a master’s degree at West Virginia University in 1984, followed by an additional master’s degree from the West Virginia University College of Graduate Studies in 1989.
Since 1997, Browning served as executive director of the Coalfields Expressway Authority, where he played a role in advancing transportation infrastructure projects aimed at improving economic opportunities in southern West Virginia.
Browning’s death marks the loss of a prominent figure in Wyoming County and the broader coalfields region, where he dedicated decades to education, public service, and economic development.