Col. Horace M. Brown (Brownie)

Horace Brown died 27 December 2012 in Asheville, North Carolina. He was a resident of Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community. Horace was born in Gaffney, South Carolina on 13 October 1918 to the late Horace M. Brown Sr. and his wife Vivian Mathis Brown. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1941. Prior to that he attended Riverside Military Academy and two years at the Citadel. He was a member of the 88th Infantry Division, the first all "draftee" division into combat in World War II. With them he deployed through North Africa and fought through the length of Italy, ending the war at the Brenner Pass. This unit was the first to enter Rome, after heavy fighting. After World War II Horace served in the occupation of Germany, and participated in the negotiations settling the Belgian war debt. Later he commanded a field artillery battalion in Korea. Serving in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), he participated in equipping, organizing and training the Greek and Turkish armies. He then served as training officer for the Continental Army Command at Fort Monroe, Virginia, supervising the organization and training of soldiers nationwide. His last assignment in the Army was as the Alumnae Secretary of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Retiring from the United States Army in 1970, Horace served for ten years as a vice president in the Trust Department of Wachovia Bank. Despite his many travels, Horace never forgot his South Carolina roots. Many of his friends considered him the model of a true southern gentleman. Horace is survived by his wife of seventy years, Lucia (Chick), daughter Susan Major Strong and her husband Doctor Robert S. Strong, his son Brigadier General John S. Brown and his wife Mary Elizabeth, his granddaughter Amy Bowler and her husband Brendan, grandson Lieutenant Colonel Robert S. Brown (currently serving in Afghanistan) and his wife Kristan, and grandson Bryan E. Strong, and five great grandsons John Patrick, Michael David and Brian Sloan Bowler and Joseph Sloan and Jack Allen Brown. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM on Thursday, 3 January, 2013 at Saint Giles Chapel of Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community with Reverend Morgan Gardner officiating. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Saint Giles Chapel, Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community, 1617 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, North Carolina, 28803.