William Oliver ( Bill ) Brown, Sr., 95 passed away at Trinity Health Care Center on Monday November 27, 2006. Visitation : 6-8p.m.Wednesday, November 29, At. St. Pauls Episcopal Church 318 College St. Columbus, MS Funeral Service: 11:00 am Thursday, November 30 at St. Pauls Episcopal Church Burial will follow service at Friendship Cemetery. Bill was born in Washington, D.C. on August 19, 1911 to the late John William Brown and Mabel Willoughby Brown. In his youth he served as an acolyte at the National Cathedral and was a runner for the Senate. These young people were the forerunners of the Congressional Pages. Bill met his wife Olive Ruth Brown at the tender age of 13 and she was 12. These childhood sweethearts were married in 1933. Bill graduated from McKinley Technical High School in Washington, D.C. and attended George Washington University and Benjamin Franklin University. Bills business career started as an after school job with Crane Company while attending college. In 1958 he left Crane Company as their Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Bills business career took he and his family to Richmond, VA, Chicago, IL, Los Angeles, CA and finally to Columbus, MS. In 1958 he joined the Beneke Corporation now Sanderson Plumbing. He retired in 1976 as its Vice President of Sales and Marketing. In October of 1976 Bill was one of the first inductees into the Hall of Fame for the Plumbing Heating and Air Conditioning Industry. After retirement Bill did not slow down as he started his volunteer life. He volunteered at BMH GT and was active with RSVP. He was instrumental in bringing the RSVP building to code when it had to be handicap accessible. He was awarded RSVP Volunteer of the year. Bill volunteered with SCORE, a group of retired businessmen who counseled people wanting to start small businesses or to revamp existing ones. Bill Brown was a life long member of Rotary and a Paul Harris Fellow. Bill Brown was a life long Episcopalian belonging to St. Pauls. Bill served on the Vestry and as a Junior and Senior Warden. Mr. Brown was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years Olive Ruth Brown, his infant son, Thomas Hathaway Brown, daughter, Donna Brown Sanson, sisters Bessie Burns, Helen Cronk and brother Richard Brown. Bill Brown is survived by daughter Joan Gehrke Thompson and her husband Bit, son William O. Brown Jr. and his wife Susannah, and sister Doris Sandberg. Grandchildren: Ken Dyar, Trish McGee and husband Keith, Sue Camp and Husband Donnie, Jay Sanson, Kristine Sanson, Hathaway Brown and William O. ( Buck ) Brown, III. Great Grandchildren: Nicole Goodwin, Dustin Goodwin, Leah Camp and Lauren Camp. Great Great Grandchild: Cayden Pitts Pallbearers: Jim Campbell Sr., Jim Campbell Jr., Kim Vought, David Jolly, Johnny Wooten, Ed Dangerfield. Honorary Pallbearers: Tyson Graham, Wiley Hutchins, Bill Threadgill, Horace Thornton, Willie Alford, Bob Gilbert, Charles Youngblood, Grady Partain, Dennis Coleman, Tom Roberts, Dr. Doyle Sumrall, Dr. Richard George, Dr. Robert Howland, Dr. William Gillespie, Amy Brame and the staff of Trinity Personal Care and Diane Platt and the staff at Trinity Healthcare. Wardens and Vestry of St. Pauls Episcopal Church. In lieu of flowers memorials may be sent to St. Pauls Episcopal Church or the charity of your choice.
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