David Drummond Brown

Col. David Drummond Brown Ret. Surrounded by his family, Col. Brown passed away peacefully at DeKalb General Hospital on October 11, 2011, due to complications from a stroke. A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 14, 2011, at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia, followed by a reception. Col. Brown was first and foremost a beloved husband, father, and grandfather. His family adored him for his many fine qualities. He was loyal to his family, friends and country, kind to animals, generous with his time and money, a friend and mentor to young people, and had a deep sense of duty and integrity, a strong work ethic, a wonderful sense of humor and old fashioned good manners. Col. Brown was also a decorated military officer, and an accomplished civil engineer and lawyer. Col. Brown was born on February 23, 1925, in St. Paul, Minnesota to George Hugh Brown and Rose Anna Walsh. He graduated from St. Thomas Military Academy in St. Paul in 1943 and the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1946. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1946 and began his first tour of duty in Austria. Upon his return, he earned a Masters degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota. Col. Brown served in Korea, Vietnam and six years in Rome, Italy. He was the recipient of the Bronze Star, four Legion of Merit Medals, and other military honors. Following his retirement from the U.S. Army in 1973, Col. Brown spent several years as the Director of the DeKalb County, Georgia Water and Sewer Department. After retiring from the Department, Col. Brown went to work for Jones Construction Company to assist in the development of a sewer system for the city of Tehran, Iran. He was recalled to the U.S. in 1978 at the outbreak of the revolution that deposed the Shah. Thereafter, Col. Brown entered Emory Law School, graduating at the age of 57. He embarked on a new career as a construction lawyer for the Atlanta law firm Smith, Currie & Hancock. At age 65 he retired from the practice of law and became an active arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association. He handled his final arbitration at age eighty, finally retiring from working life. Col. Brown is survived by his wife of over sixty years, Robin Lynch Brown, four children, David D. Brown wife JoAnne of Monroe, GA; Alison Brown Utermohlen husband Bill of Alexandria, VA; Christopher G. Brown wife Janet of Decatur, GA; Mark E. Brown wife Ann of Atlanta, GA, and six grandchildren: Mary A. Utermohlen, C. Gavin Brown, David D. Brown, P. Hunter Brown, Elizabeth T. Brown, and Robin C. Brown. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Park Springs Retirement Community Employee Appreciation Fund, or to the Canine Assistants nonprofit organization www.canineassistants.org in Alpharetta, Georgia.