Rev. Bob D. Brown

Marietta Monitor

April 14, 2000, page 4

Submitted by: Martha N. Reddout

Memorial Services for the Rev. Bob D. Brown, 62, of Marietta, were held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 8, at the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Danny Moss and the Rev. John Derr officiating. Funeral services were at 4 p.m. at Russell Memorial United Methodist Church in Wills Point, Texas.

Rev. Brown was born September 5, 1937, at Canton, Texas the son of Aubrey and Zora Lou Wheeler Brown. He died Thursday, April 6, 2000, at Gainesville Memorial Hospital in Gainesville, Texas.

He had been the minister of the First United Methodist Church of Marietta since 1998, moving from Chickasha, where he served Epworth United Methodist Church. Rev. Brown had previously served Russell Memorial United Methodist Church for 18 years and Church On The Rock in Rockwall, Texas. He and Sue Lamb were married June 23, 1957 at Wills Point, where they made their home for a number of years.

Rev. Brown graduated from high school in his hometown of Wills Point in 1955 and later from Baylor University with a degree in Business Administration in 1959. While in Baylor he sang and traveled with the Bards and Rhapsody Choir. In 1963, he entered Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he received his music degree. He served Wichita Street Baptist Church and Polytechnic Baptist Church in Fort Worth as Minister of Music. In 1970, he moved his family back to his hometown to help his Dad run the family hardware store and propane company. In 1974, he and his wife bought Brown Insurance Agency. He served on the Wills Point ISD School Board.

In 1970, he agreed to start a choir program at Russell Memorial United Methodist Church in Wills Point. In the 18 years he served Russell Memorial, his choir program was well known. His youth choirs traveled extensively throughout the United States. Rev. Brown later served in the educational program at Church on the Rock in Rockwall, Texas. In 1994, he moved to Chickasha, where he served Epworth United Methodist Church as Associate Pastor and later to First United Methodist Church where he was Senior Pastor.

Rev. Brown was a member of various civic clubs including a current membership in the Marietta Lions Club, the Kiwanis Club of Chickasha and the Rotary Club of Wills Point. Over the years he enjoyed singing, hunting and fishing and spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife, Sue Brown of the home; two sons and daughters-in-law, Russ and Rachel Brown of Plano, Texas and Rick and Nancy Brown of Garland, Texas; a daughter, LeAnn Brown, and her fiance, Nels Thomsem, both of Trophy Club, Texas; three grandchildren, Nicholas Brown of Plano, and Sean Brown and Natalie Brown, both of Garland; and his father, Aubrey Brown of Wills Point.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Zora L. Brown.

Interment was in Haven of Memories Cemetery at Canton. Local services were under the direction of Kennedy Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church of Marietta.