1937
William
2016
William David Brown
July 8, 1937 — November 23, 2016
Mr. William David Brown, age 79, retired aerospace engineer and resident of Habersham Road, passed away in Columbia, on Wednesday, November 23, 2016.
Private graveside services for Mr. Brown will be conducted on Saturday, November 26, 2016 at Polk Memorial Gardens with Reverend Joe Evans officiating. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org . Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Bruce Strothers Sunday School Class.
Mr. Brown was the son of the late Marjorie Burt Johnson and Lyle Brown. He moved to Columbia at an early age where he attended school, graduating from Central High School in 1955. He attended the University of Tennessee and received a B. S. degree in Engineering in 1959. He began his career at Warner Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, where he worked on the B-52 Bomber Program. He then transferred to Huntsville, Alabama in 1962, where he worked as an aerospace engineer at Marshall Space Flight Center - NASA for 32 years. During this time he worked on the First Man on the Moon Program, Space Lab, Hubble Space Telescope, Space Station and re-design of the solid rocket motor after the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster. During his last years at MSFC he served as part of the Flight Readiness Team that launched the Space Shuttle. He retired as Director of the Project Assurance Office at MSFC in 1992.
Upon his retirement Mr. Brown returned to Columbia to manage his farming operation in Giles County and later served as Chief Manager of Brown Development Company in the development of residential and rental properties. One of his lifelong hobbies was collecting and restoring old cars and trucks, especially World War II vehicles.
Mr. Brown was a member of First United Methodist Church where he was also a member of the Bruce Strothers Sunday School Class. He also served on the administrative board and as a trustee for the church.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Janice Craig Brown, daughter, Karen (Moore) Landers, son, Michael (Sherry) Brown and four grandchildren, Ross Sutton, Brandon Brown, Lindsey Brown and Josh Brown.
Williams Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements and online condolences may be made at www.williamsfh.com .
Private graveside services for Mr. Brown will be conducted on Saturday, November 26, 2016 at Polk Memorial Gardens with Reverend Joe Evans officiating. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org . Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Bruce Strothers Sunday School Class.
Mr. Brown was the son of the late Marjorie Burt Johnson and Lyle Brown. He moved to Columbia at an early age where he attended school, graduating from Central High School in 1955. He attended the University of Tennessee and received a B. S. degree in Engineering in 1959. He began his career at Warner Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, where he worked on the B-52 Bomber Program. He then transferred to Huntsville, Alabama in 1962, where he worked as an aerospace engineer at Marshall Space Flight Center - NASA for 32 years. During this time he worked on the First Man on the Moon Program, Space Lab, Hubble Space Telescope, Space Station and re-design of the solid rocket motor after the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster. During his last years at MSFC he served as part of the Flight Readiness Team that launched the Space Shuttle. He retired as Director of the Project Assurance Office at MSFC in 1992.
Upon his retirement Mr. Brown returned to Columbia to manage his farming operation in Giles County and later served as Chief Manager of Brown Development Company in the development of residential and rental properties. One of his lifelong hobbies was collecting and restoring old cars and trucks, especially World War II vehicles.
Mr. Brown was a member of First United Methodist Church where he was also a member of the Bruce Strothers Sunday School Class. He also served on the administrative board and as a trustee for the church.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Janice Craig Brown, daughter, Karen (Moore) Landers, son, Michael (Sherry) Brown and four grandchildren, Ross Sutton, Brandon Brown, Lindsey Brown and Josh Brown.
Williams Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements and online condolences may be made at www.williamsfh.com .
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William David Brown, please visit our flower store.
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