John A. Brown (Brownie) (1924-2009)
John A. Brown (Brownie) 84, of Columbus, went home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009.
Johnny was born Nov. 24, 1924, in Catlettsburg, Ky. He enlisted in the Navy at 17, 10 days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He served aboard the Battleship USS Washington BB56 until his honorable discharge on Oct. 13, 1945. He was a ship fitter second class assigned to the ships Damage Control Division. The USS Washington earned 15 battle stars, including the Battle of Guadalcanal.
He was known as the Keeper of the Flame for his dedicated service as the executive director of the USS Washington Reunion Group from 1948 to 2005. He retired from Plumbers and Pipe Fitters Local 189, where he served on the finance committee. He was awarded the honor of a Kentucky colonel in 1985 by then Governor Collins. He was a lifetime member of VFW Whitehall Post 8794 and a past commander of Post 1598. He served as a portal chief at OSU for 34 years. He belonged to the Buckeye Sideliners Club, the Whitehall Citizens Police Academy, the Whitehall Athletic Boosters and the Whitehall Seniors Club.
John served as founder and president of the Out of State Kentucky Veterans Organization and was instrumental in obtaining $242 million in World War II bonuses for 424,000 Kentucky veterans. With special consideration from the state of Kentucky, he was awarded his high school diploma from the Class of 1943 in 2003.
John is survived by his wife of almost 63 years, Gladys; sons Mike (Sherry) and Donald Keith (Monica); granddaughters Debbie (Mark) Baisden and Lori (Lewis) May; grandsons Jeremy (Kristi) Brown and Shane Brown; great-grandchildren Megan and Holly Baisden, Brandon and Abbey May, Elizabeth Link and Madison Brown; sister Dorothy (Bob) Winters of Ironton; brothers Don (Dora) Brown and George (Lillian) Brown of Ashland, Ky.; and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26, 2009, at Steen Funeral Home-13th Street Chapel in Ashland by Pastor Danny Clarkston.
Visitation will be after 1 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be in Bowling Family Cemetery in Cannonsburg, with military rites by American Legion Kenova Post 93.
Condolences may be sent to www.steenfuneralhomes.com.
