Clarence Henry Brown Jr., 81, died April 15, 2015, at North Mississippi Medical Center. Clarence was born June 6, 1933, to Clarence and Celeste Moore Brown in Meridian, Mississippi. He graduated from Enterprise High School and joined the United States Navy in 1951. He sailed around the world aboard the aircraft carriers the U.S.S. Tarawa and the U.S.S. Leyte Gulf and served during the Korean Conflict. After four years in the Navy, he earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and married Gerlda Marie Newton on July 2, 1960, in Mobile, Alabama. In 1963, Clarence began his career with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. In a career that spanned 30 years with NASA, he served as director of procurement at John Glenn Space Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, as well as assistant deputy director of procurement in Washington D.C. He worked on the Apollo program and the space shuttle program. After retirement, he initiated a second career with Rust International Yellow Creek Project. Clarence enjoyed traveling, visiting with family, and spending time with his grandchildren and siblings. He loved to tell a story, and he left an impression with everyone he met.
Service will be Saturday, April 18, 2015, at 2 p.m. at Enterprise Baptist Church, Enterprise, Mississippi. Burial, with military honors, will be in Enterprise Cemetery. Deaton Funeral Home, Red Bay, Alabama, will be in charge of arrangements.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Gerlda, and two daughters, Rebecca (William) Sartor, of Tupelo, and Katherine (Michael) Lanford, of Ridgeland. He leaves three grandchildren, Caroline and Elizabeth Lanford and Henry Sartor; two brothers, Douglas Brown (Janet) and Joe Brown (Rande); and one sister, Clarice Williams; and numerous beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Sidney Brown.
Visitation will be today, 5-8 p.m., at Deaton Funeral Home in Red Bay, Alabama and from 1-2 p.m. Saturday at Enterprise Baptist Church, Enterprise, Mississippi.
Online condolences may be posted on deatonfuneralhomes.com.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Enterprise Cemetery, P.O. Box 101, Enterprise, MS 39330 or to Sparks Cemetery, Vina, AL.
