Obituary for Edward Charles Brown
“A Blessed Life, Indeed!”
If you asked 100 people who Edward Charles Brown was, they would all give you a different story. Some would say he
was an educator. A coach. An administrator. A husband. A father. A grandfather. A deacon. The Dean of Mean. Some people
knew him as Edward and most, as Charles. Others called him Charlie Brown. He was widely known as Mr. Brown.
He was all of these, perhaps most of these at the same time. What he was, was a storyteller. One of the best
historians we have ever known. No matter the occasion, he had a story to tell. It is no surprise that he was featured as the hero
in most of his tales. He entered this world on April 23, 1938, ambitious, and committed to pursuing his goals and achieving
them. He was the third child born to Mr. Johnnie Brown, Sr. and Ms. Fannie Mae Archie Brown in Hattiesburg, MS. Charles
joined Ebenezer Baptist Church at a young age. At that time, he gave his life to the Lord and was baptized in the Leaf River. He
later joined New Bethel Baptist Church, where he served as Superintendent of Sunday School, President of the Mass Choir,
Recording Church Secretary, and as a member of both the Deacon Board and Trustee Board.
He graduated from Rowan High School in Hattiesburg, MS in 1958. He went on to attend Coahoma Community
College and graduated from Rust College with a degree in Biology. He received a master’s degree and Educational Specialist
degree in Administration from THEE Jackson State University and The University of Southern Mississippi.
He began his education career at Mound Bayou High School in 1962. He continued his career in 1964 at Earl Travillion High School in Hattiesburg, MS as a Biology Teacher. After teaching for several years, he became the Assistant Principal at Earl Travillion and was later promoted to Principal at Earl Travillion. He remained at Earl Travillion until 1986. It was at that time he chose a slightly different path and moved into the elementary education sector. He was the Assistant Principal of Bay Springs Elementary School in Bay Springs, MS from 1986 to 1987. His final campus was Grace Christian Elementary School, where he served as Principal in 1987 until his retirement in 1997. If you knew him, you know that he LOVED to work – that said,
retirement was the beginning of a new chapter for him in the workforce. He provided high quality courier services from 1997 to 2015 with Cash and Carry Cleaners and Unicare Pharmacy.
He is preceded in death by his parents: Johnnie Brown, Sr. and Fannie Mae Archie Brown and siblings: Jacqueline Miller, Bobbie Pace, and J. W. Brown Jr. He leaves to cherish precious memories his devoted and loving wife Mattie; siblings: Doris Wyatt, Cecil Brown, David Brown, and Wanda Craft; children: Charietta Foreman (Sherwin), Phillip Woullard (Jimeka), Philisia Johnson (Tony), Ray Humbles, and Tasha Lawrence. He leaves behind 12 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, and a host of family members, friends, and loved ones.
If you asked 100 people who Edward Charles Brown was, they would all give you a different story. Some would say he
was an educator. A coach. An administrator. A husband. A father. A grandfather. A deacon. The Dean of Mean. Some people
knew him as Edward and most, as Charles. Others called him Charlie Brown. He was widely known as Mr. Brown.
He was all of these, perhaps most of these at the same time. What he was, was a storyteller. One of the best
historians we have ever known. No matter the occasion, he had a story to tell. It is no surprise that he was featured as the hero
in most of his tales. He entered this world on April 23, 1938, ambitious, and committed to pursuing his goals and achieving
them. He was the third child born to Mr. Johnnie Brown, Sr. and Ms. Fannie Mae Archie Brown in Hattiesburg, MS. Charles
joined Ebenezer Baptist Church at a young age. At that time, he gave his life to the Lord and was baptized in the Leaf River. He
later joined New Bethel Baptist Church, where he served as Superintendent of Sunday School, President of the Mass Choir,
Recording Church Secretary, and as a member of both the Deacon Board and Trustee Board.
He graduated from Rowan High School in Hattiesburg, MS in 1958. He went on to attend Coahoma Community
College and graduated from Rust College with a degree in Biology. He received a master’s degree and Educational Specialist
degree in Administration from THEE Jackson State University and The University of Southern Mississippi.
He began his education career at Mound Bayou High School in 1962. He continued his career in 1964 at Earl Travillion High School in Hattiesburg, MS as a Biology Teacher. After teaching for several years, he became the Assistant Principal at Earl Travillion and was later promoted to Principal at Earl Travillion. He remained at Earl Travillion until 1986. It was at that time he chose a slightly different path and moved into the elementary education sector. He was the Assistant Principal of Bay Springs Elementary School in Bay Springs, MS from 1986 to 1987. His final campus was Grace Christian Elementary School, where he served as Principal in 1987 until his retirement in 1997. If you knew him, you know that he LOVED to work – that said,
retirement was the beginning of a new chapter for him in the workforce. He provided high quality courier services from 1997 to 2015 with Cash and Carry Cleaners and Unicare Pharmacy.
He is preceded in death by his parents: Johnnie Brown, Sr. and Fannie Mae Archie Brown and siblings: Jacqueline Miller, Bobbie Pace, and J. W. Brown Jr. He leaves to cherish precious memories his devoted and loving wife Mattie; siblings: Doris Wyatt, Cecil Brown, David Brown, and Wanda Craft; children: Charietta Foreman (Sherwin), Phillip Woullard (Jimeka), Philisia Johnson (Tony), Ray Humbles, and Tasha Lawrence. He leaves behind 12 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, and a host of family members, friends, and loved ones.