James Samuel Brown, Jr. (Jim) died on March 5, 2016 at the age of 73. He was born and reared in Leland, MS in the Mississippi Delta. A 1960 graduate of Leland High School, he was a starting 160 pound nose guard for the Cubs varsity football team. After high school graduation, he enrolled at the University of the South, Sewanee, where he studied English. While there he was an active member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He served as fire chief for the volunteer fire department and was a member of the prestigious Order of the Gownsmen. He graduated from Sewanee in 1964. His experiences at Sewanee and the friendships that he made while there were integral and invaluable parts of his life. He carried a love for the University of the South throughout the rest of life. After graduation he married Jody McKnight.
Shortly after graduating from Sewanee, he entered the United States Marine Corps and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on May 27, 1966. In May of 1967, he went to Vietnam and served in the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines as an artillery officer 0844. While there, he spent considerable time with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines as a forward observer. By the end of his tour, he had become the commanding officer of Charlie Battery for the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines. In Vietnam, his tour 1967-1968 was spent at the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Vietnam, and his time there included action in the US response to the Tet offensive and in liberating Khe Sanh. For gallantry in action, he received the Silver Star Medal (Pictured) He also received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds sustained while in combat. He achieved the rank of Captain prior to his departure from the Marine Corps. He was, by any measure, a true American hero.
Upon reentry into the civilian world in 1970, Jim began his entrepreneurial career. In 1970, he became a stockbroker with Merrill Lynch and later Paine Weber. His entrepreneurial spirit then led him into the real estate market where he founded Jim Brown Real Estate. While building his real estate business he also became an auctioneer and created Southland Auction Company. After establishing a successful name in the real estate business, he broadened his repertoire to building homes. In 1990, he began building full time under the name Classic Homes. He finished his career in the general contracting business after twenty successful years of home building.
Jim's life will be remembered for his love of literature, fostered by his mother, and encouraged while at Sewanee. He began writing in earnest later in life and published his memoirs of his Vietnam experience in the book Impact Zone in 2004 with the University of Alabama Press. Since then he has had short stories published in the Sewanee Review. He has written more than twenty works, including his Essays of a Delta Son, his Concise Guide to the Early Church, and other poems and religious works. In 2015, he began his final work, and in February of 2016 he completed the final edits to his first and only novel, Of Angels and Men.
While his life experiences were varied and his interests many, his most prized possession was his family. He dearly loved his wife and children and spent endless hours with them in a variety of activities. He served as coach, motivator, head camper, canoeist and hunter and passed a love for all things sports and outdoors down to his children. He loved gardening and developed an immaculate rose garden in his backyard. As a grandfather, he served as cheerleader and encourager and took great pride in recognizing the accolades of all six of his grandchildren and cheering them on at events from show choir to ball games.
He was preceded in death by his parents, James Samuel Brown and Marion Park Brown. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Mrs. Jody McKnight Brown of Ridgeland; his children, Mrs. Catherine Gatewood Brown Shofner and husband Mr. Robert Bruce Shofner of Madison and Dr. James Samuel Brown, III of Starkville; his six grandchildren, Catie Shofner, Rebecca Shofner, Rush Brown, Ben Brown, Meg Brown, and Kate Brown; and his sister, Marion Brown Walcott of Austin, TX.
The funeral service will be held on Tuesday March 8, 2016, at 12:00 pm at St. Stephen's Reformed Episcopal Church located at, Flowood, MS. Visitation will precede the funeral service at 10:30 am at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. A graveside service will follow the funeral service at Parkway Memorial Cemetery in Ridgeland.
Published in Starkville Daily News on Mar. 8, 2016
Thanks to Charlie Battery Marine "Woody" for the obit
Shortly after graduating from Sewanee, he entered the United States Marine Corps and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on May 27, 1966. In May of 1967, he went to Vietnam and served in the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines as an artillery officer 0844. While there, he spent considerable time with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines as a forward observer. By the end of his tour, he had become the commanding officer of Charlie Battery for the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines. In Vietnam, his tour 1967-1968 was spent at the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Vietnam, and his time there included action in the US response to the Tet offensive and in liberating Khe Sanh. For gallantry in action, he received the Silver Star Medal (Pictured) He also received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds sustained while in combat. He achieved the rank of Captain prior to his departure from the Marine Corps. He was, by any measure, a true American hero.
Upon reentry into the civilian world in 1970, Jim began his entrepreneurial career. In 1970, he became a stockbroker with Merrill Lynch and later Paine Weber. His entrepreneurial spirit then led him into the real estate market where he founded Jim Brown Real Estate. While building his real estate business he also became an auctioneer and created Southland Auction Company. After establishing a successful name in the real estate business, he broadened his repertoire to building homes. In 1990, he began building full time under the name Classic Homes. He finished his career in the general contracting business after twenty successful years of home building.
Jim's life will be remembered for his love of literature, fostered by his mother, and encouraged while at Sewanee. He began writing in earnest later in life and published his memoirs of his Vietnam experience in the book Impact Zone in 2004 with the University of Alabama Press. Since then he has had short stories published in the Sewanee Review. He has written more than twenty works, including his Essays of a Delta Son, his Concise Guide to the Early Church, and other poems and religious works. In 2015, he began his final work, and in February of 2016 he completed the final edits to his first and only novel, Of Angels and Men.
While his life experiences were varied and his interests many, his most prized possession was his family. He dearly loved his wife and children and spent endless hours with them in a variety of activities. He served as coach, motivator, head camper, canoeist and hunter and passed a love for all things sports and outdoors down to his children. He loved gardening and developed an immaculate rose garden in his backyard. As a grandfather, he served as cheerleader and encourager and took great pride in recognizing the accolades of all six of his grandchildren and cheering them on at events from show choir to ball games.
He was preceded in death by his parents, James Samuel Brown and Marion Park Brown. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Mrs. Jody McKnight Brown of Ridgeland; his children, Mrs. Catherine Gatewood Brown Shofner and husband Mr. Robert Bruce Shofner of Madison and Dr. James Samuel Brown, III of Starkville; his six grandchildren, Catie Shofner, Rebecca Shofner, Rush Brown, Ben Brown, Meg Brown, and Kate Brown; and his sister, Marion Brown Walcott of Austin, TX.
The funeral service will be held on Tuesday March 8, 2016, at 12:00 pm at St. Stephen's Reformed Episcopal Church located at, Flowood, MS. Visitation will precede the funeral service at 10:30 am at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. A graveside service will follow the funeral service at Parkway Memorial Cemetery in Ridgeland.
Published in Starkville Daily News on Mar. 8, 2016
Thanks to Charlie Battery Marine "Woody" for the obit
James Samuel Brown, Jr. (Jim) died on March 5, 2016 at the age of 73. He was born and reared in Leland, MS in the Mississippi Delta. A 1960 graduate of Leland High School, he was a starting 160 pound nose guard for the Cubs varsity football team. After high school graduation, he enrolled at the University of the South, Sewanee, where he studied English. While there he was an active member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He served as fire chief for the volunteer fire department and was a member of the prestigious Order of the Gownsmen. He graduated from Sewanee in 1964. His experiences at Sewanee and the friendships that he made while there were integral and invaluable parts of his life. He carried a love for the University of the South throughout the rest of life. After graduation he married Jody McKnight.
Shortly after graduating from Sewanee, he entered the United States Marine Corps and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on May 27, 1966. In May of 1967, he went to Vietnam and served in the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines as an artillery officer 0844. While there, he spent considerable time with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines as a forward observer. By the end of his tour, he had become the commanding officer of Charlie Battery for the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines. In Vietnam, his tour 1967-1968 was spent at the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Vietnam, and his time there included action in the US response to the Tet offensive and in liberating Khe Sanh. For gallantry in action, he received the Silver Star Medal (Pictured) He also received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds sustained while in combat. He achieved the rank of Captain prior to his departure from the Marine Corps. He was, by any measure, a true American hero.
Upon reentry into the civilian world in 1970, Jim began his entrepreneurial career. In 1970, he became a stockbroker with Merrill Lynch and later Paine Weber. His entrepreneurial spirit then led him into the real estate market where he founded Jim Brown Real Estate. While building his real estate business he also became an auctioneer and created Southland Auction Company. After establishing a successful name in the real estate business, he broadened his repertoire to building homes. In 1990, he began building full time under the name Classic Homes. He finished his career in the general contracting business after twenty successful years of home building.
Jim's life will be remembered for his love of literature, fostered by his mother, and encouraged while at Sewanee. He began writing in earnest later in life and published his memoirs of his Vietnam experience in the book Impact Zone in 2004 with the University of Alabama Press. Since then he has had short stories published in the Sewanee Review. He has written more than twenty works, including his Essays of a Delta Son, his Concise Guide to the Early Church, and other poems and religious works. In 2015, he began his final work, and in February of 2016 he completed the final edits to his first and only novel, Of Angels and Men.
While his life experiences were varied and his interests many, his most prized possession was his family. He dearly loved his wife and children and spent endless hours with them in a variety of activities. He served as coach, motivator, head camper, canoeist and hunter and passed a love for all things sports and outdoors down to his children. He loved gardening and developed an immaculate rose garden in his backyard. As a grandfather, he served as cheerleader and encourager and took great pride in recognizing the accolades of all six of his grandchildren and cheering them on at events from show choir to ball games.
He was preceded in death by his parents, James Samuel Brown and Marion Park Brown. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Mrs. Jody McKnight Brown of Ridgeland; his children, Mrs. Catherine Gatewood Brown Shofner and husband Mr. Robert Bruce Shofner of Madison and Dr. James Samuel Brown, III of Starkville; his six grandchildren, Catie Shofner, Rebecca Shofner, Rush Brown, Ben Brown, Meg Brown, and Kate Brown; and his sister, Marion Brown Walcott of Austin, TX.
The funeral service will be held on Tuesday March 8, 2016, at 12:00 pm at St. Stephen's Reformed Episcopal Church located at, Flowood, MS. Visitation will precede the funeral service at 10:30 am at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. A graveside service will follow the funeral service at Parkway Memorial Cemetery in Ridgeland.
Published in Starkville Daily News on Mar. 8, 2016
Thanks to Charlie Battery Marine "Woody" for the obit
Shortly after graduating from Sewanee, he entered the United States Marine Corps and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on May 27, 1966. In May of 1967, he went to Vietnam and served in the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines as an artillery officer 0844. While there, he spent considerable time with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines as a forward observer. By the end of his tour, he had become the commanding officer of Charlie Battery for the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines. In Vietnam, his tour 1967-1968 was spent at the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Vietnam, and his time there included action in the US response to the Tet offensive and in liberating Khe Sanh. For gallantry in action, he received the Silver Star Medal (Pictured) He also received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds sustained while in combat. He achieved the rank of Captain prior to his departure from the Marine Corps. He was, by any measure, a true American hero.
Upon reentry into the civilian world in 1970, Jim began his entrepreneurial career. In 1970, he became a stockbroker with Merrill Lynch and later Paine Weber. His entrepreneurial spirit then led him into the real estate market where he founded Jim Brown Real Estate. While building his real estate business he also became an auctioneer and created Southland Auction Company. After establishing a successful name in the real estate business, he broadened his repertoire to building homes. In 1990, he began building full time under the name Classic Homes. He finished his career in the general contracting business after twenty successful years of home building.
Jim's life will be remembered for his love of literature, fostered by his mother, and encouraged while at Sewanee. He began writing in earnest later in life and published his memoirs of his Vietnam experience in the book Impact Zone in 2004 with the University of Alabama Press. Since then he has had short stories published in the Sewanee Review. He has written more than twenty works, including his Essays of a Delta Son, his Concise Guide to the Early Church, and other poems and religious works. In 2015, he began his final work, and in February of 2016 he completed the final edits to his first and only novel, Of Angels and Men.
While his life experiences were varied and his interests many, his most prized possession was his family. He dearly loved his wife and children and spent endless hours with them in a variety of activities. He served as coach, motivator, head camper, canoeist and hunter and passed a love for all things sports and outdoors down to his children. He loved gardening and developed an immaculate rose garden in his backyard. As a grandfather, he served as cheerleader and encourager and took great pride in recognizing the accolades of all six of his grandchildren and cheering them on at events from show choir to ball games.
He was preceded in death by his parents, James Samuel Brown and Marion Park Brown. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Mrs. Jody McKnight Brown of Ridgeland; his children, Mrs. Catherine Gatewood Brown Shofner and husband Mr. Robert Bruce Shofner of Madison and Dr. James Samuel Brown, III of Starkville; his six grandchildren, Catie Shofner, Rebecca Shofner, Rush Brown, Ben Brown, Meg Brown, and Kate Brown; and his sister, Marion Brown Walcott of Austin, TX.
The funeral service will be held on Tuesday March 8, 2016, at 12:00 pm at St. Stephen's Reformed Episcopal Church located at, Flowood, MS. Visitation will precede the funeral service at 10:30 am at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. A graveside service will follow the funeral service at Parkway Memorial Cemetery in Ridgeland.
Published in Starkville Daily News on Mar. 8, 2016
Thanks to Charlie Battery Marine "Woody" for the obit
