Glenn Brown

Waynesville, Glenn William Brown, 90, passed away on July 28, 2016, in Asheville, North Carolina, after a several-month battle with cancer. He is survived by Evelyn Brown, his wife of 64 years, and a son, Glenn William Brown, Jr. and his wife, Amy M. Moss, of Durham. His younger son, Lt. Col. Robert Brown, passed away on March 18, 2014. Additional survivors are his daughter-in-law, Martha W. Brown, of Lake Junaluska; a sister, Doris B. McKinnish and brother, Howell Brown and his wife, Sarah, all of Clyde; and five grandchildren, Elizabeth Quinn Brown, Lauren Alexandra Brown, Anna Kathryn Brown, William Michael "Liam" Youngwood, and Elizabeth McLain Youngwood. Glenn was born on February 27, 1926 in a small white house on the banks of the Pigeon River in Clyde, a close-knit community in western North Carolina. Around that time, his father, Glenn Dephew Brown, co-founded the Clyde Savings and Loan (which grew to become HomeTrust Bank) to help local residents finance their homes, instilling in young Glenn a commitment to community. His mother, Mary Torrence Brown, a school teacher, impressed on young Glenn the importance of academic excellence and a life-long interest in learning. Glenn embraced the educational opportunities provided by Clyde school and was awarded prizes over the years including one for declamation that would herald a later interest in public service. He enlisted as a teenager in the United States Air Corps and was trained for the B-17 bomber as well as for the B-29 bomber when World War II shifted to the Pacific. Following the war, he pursued his college and graduate education, receiving his law degree from Wake Forest University. Glenn practiced law with the firm of Morgan and Ward in Waynesville, only a few miles from his birthplace. Over the course of his practice, he distinguished himself by his integrity, judiciousness and hard work. His name was added to the firm's name in recognition of his important contributions. Glenn was a member of the First Baptist Church of Waynesville, where he dedicated decades of service to religious, social and charitable initiatives. He married Evelyn Davis, a high school teacher, on April 14, 1952, and they welcomed two sons, Glenn William Brown, Jr. in 1955 and Robert Hadley Brown in 1957. Dedicated parents, they supported the interests of their sons in math competitions, science fairs, band competitions and sports, requiring significant time commitment and travel. The success of their sons in their respective careers is in no small part due to the ongoing support of Glenn and Evelyn. Their son, Robert, succumbed to cancer in 2014. Glenn was active in many local civic activities in addition to the First Baptist Church, including the Lions Club and the Board of the First Union Bank. He served as councilor for the North Carolina State Bar for eight years. In 1960, Glenn ran for the position of solicitor (equivalent today to district attorney) for the 30th Judicial District of North Carolina covering the seven western counties. He "rode the circuit" to prosecute a broad range of criminal cases. He was well known and embraced wherever he went as a result of his kindness, love of people, intelligence and sense of fairness. In 1968, Glenn stepped down from being a solicitor so as to develop his law practice, dedicate time to his family and nurture his civic commitments. One of his crowning achievements was assembling the resources and leadership necessary to found the Broyhill Home in Clyde, part of the Baptist Children's Homes of North Carolina. In 1975, Glenn undertook a run for the United States Congress representing the 11th congressional district. In a hotly contested Democratic primary in 1976, he was edged out by his Buncombe County rival by only a handful of votes. In 1991, Glenn retired from the practice of law and devoted increasing time to the First Baptist Church and the Baptist Children's Homes, which honored him in 2013 with its special award for his seminal leadership and decades of service. He was also a recipient of the "Order of the Long Leaf Pine" which is presented by the governor of North Carolina to individuals who have a proven record of extraordinary service to the state and their community. An icon in the community, Glenn was sought out to provide community leadership in a wide variety of matters. He was closely supportive of the mayoral initiatives of his friend, Henry Foy, who left an indelible imprint on the planning for Waynesville that makes it the charming town it is today. Several years ago, Glenn and Evelyn moved to the Givens Estates in nearby Asheville. There, they developed a whole new community of friends who honored Glenn earlier this year on his 90th birthday. A memorial service celebrating the life of Glenn William Brown will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 6, 2016 at the First Baptist Church in Waynesville, North Carolina with Reverend Dr. Robert Prince, III and Reverend Dr. Gary Hearon officiating. A reception will follow at the Waynesville Inn Golf Resort. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Broyhill Baptist Children's Home, 111 Sneed Drive, Clyde, NC 28721 or to one's favorite charity.

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