George E. “Jack” Brown, 87, died Saturday, March 1, 2014, at the Sanctuary Hospice House. He was born September 24, 1926, to Elmer Eugene and Effie Gilliland Brown. Mr. Brown began a lengthy educational career after graduating as valedictorian from Tremont High School in 1944. After one semester at MSU, he entered the U. S. Army. He completed basic training at Fort McClellan, Ala. Overseas, he served in the 41st and 32nd Infantry in the Phillipines. With the army of occupation in Japan, he served in the Company B 800 M. P. Battalion. His duty in Japan included guard duty at the Hiroshima and Nagasaki sites of the atomic bomb targets. After discharge, he re-enrolled at MSU and earned a B. S. degree in 1950. Later he earned a M. S. degree from Western State College of Gunnison, Colo, and M. S. degrees in social studies from MSU, Ed. S. degree in school administration from MSU and a specialist degree in social studies from Ole Miss.
He began his teaching and coaching career as the first high school boys’ coach at Mantachie in 1950. From 1952-54, he served as a social studies teacher and boys’ basketball coach at Tremont. In 1954, he began a junior high athletic program at Gunnison Junior High in Gunnison, Colo. He later served as assistant high school football and head basketball coach at Red Bay, Ala. During his education career, he served principalships at Gunnison Junior High (Colo.), Florence High School (Colo,), Hamilton High School (Miss.), Tremont High School and Mantachie High School. He served as Itawamba County Superintendent of Education from 1984 to 1988.
He was ordained a deacon in First Baptist Church of Gunnison, Colo, in 1958. He served as a Sunday school teacher, lay speaker, and treasurer of the Judson Baptist Association. He was a member of the Centerville Baptist Church.
His early activities included scout master for troops in Mantachie, Red Bay, and Gunnison. He recently retired after eight years of service as election commissioner of the second district in Itawamba County. He held memberships in the Mississippi Association of Educators, the National Education Association, American Legion, VFW, ICDC, and many other associations.
He felt that God called teachers as well as preachers. He used that calling to assist hundreds of students during his teaching career.
Services will be at 2 p. m. Tuesday, March 4, at the McNeece-Morris Funeral Home Chapel in Mantachie with ministers Castor Buse, Terry Paul Graham, and his pastor, Greg Jones, officiating. Steven McNeece will deliver the eulogy. Burial will be in the Mantachie Cemetery. McNeece-Morris Funeral Home of Mantachie is in charge of the arrangements.
Survivors include one son, Eddie Brown (Barbara Candy) of Mantachie; three daughters, Kathy Evans of Mooreville, Debbie Word of Smithville, and Melissa Baswell of Mantachie; six grandchildren, Lance Evans of New Albany, Summer Allen of Mantachie, Corey Evans of Evergreen, Zackery Baswell of Mantachie, Stephanie Hope Spears of Smithville, and Jon Derreck Word of Smithville; four great-grandchildren, Katie Elizabeth Evans, James Hayden Spears, Jackson Ford Allen, and Landon Daniel Evans; and one sister, Shirley Ferguson of Coldwater.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 plus years, Nella Wease Summers Brown; his parents; two brothers, Eugene and Wendell Brown; three sisters, Earlene Smith, Fannie Alder, and Nellie Holiday; and a grandson, Brandon Brown Baswell.
Pallbearers will be Lance Evans, Corey Evans, Jon Derrick Word, Nicky Nichols, Tony Nichols, Arrie Montgomery, Scotty Allen, and Trey Hemphill.
Honorary pallbearers will be his great-grandchildren, Olen Nichols, Billy Joe Raper, Sonny Pearce, Jackie Davis, Junior Wilburn, John Marvin Pearce, John Marvin Smith, and members of Centerville Baptist Church and the Mantachie Senior Citizens group.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p. m. Monday and until service time Tuesday at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Sanctuary Hospice House or the Itawamba County Historical Society.
Online condolences may be shared at mcneecemorrisfuneralhome.com.
