Ret. Colonel Henry L. “Roy” Brown
Roy was born April 5, 1925, in Great Falls, South Carolina. He graduated from Great Falls High School in 1943 and entered the Navy April 4, 1943, the day before his 18th birthday. Roy served on the USS YORKTOWN (CV-10) participating in the Philippine operation, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa Campaigns. He was part of a force that occupied Japan immediately after the war ended. Following the end of WWII, Roy returned to South Carolina to attend college under the GI Bill, graduating from the University of South Carolina and their School of Law in 1951. Wanting to experience life beyond the borders of Great Falls, he joined the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAGC) in 1955, serving more than 22 years with tours at Fort Benning, Fort Jackson, Camp Darby – Italy, and the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA; the Pentagon, Vietnam, Hawaii and Huntsville, Alabama, where he retired, and he and his wife Lucy made their home. After retiring from the Army, he practiced law in Huntsville. He received a multitude of medals and commendations for his service in the Navy and the Army. His most cherished were his four Legion of Merits. Over the previous decade, Roy served as a member of the USS YORKTOWN (CV-10) Association’s board of directors, which is now a Medal of Honor Museum located in the Charleston harbor.
Roy’s favorite thing in life was his family. He leaves behind his wife of almost 67 years, Lucy Clardy Brown; his children, Jessica B. Arenth (Roy), Melissa B. Gilliland, Stephanie B. Patton; and he was predeceased by his son, Mark Tarlton Brown. He also leaves behind six grandchildren, Frazier Barnett (Erin), Meghan Gaston, Quinn McKellar (Macky), Catherine Gravenmier (Curtis), Palmer Gilliland (Olivia), and Spencer Patton (Mallory); along with thirteen great-grandchildren, Isabella, Garrett, Gabriella, Blakely, Adelaide, Bowen, Brady, Eli, Brighton, Baker, Guinevere, Milo, and Briggs. He was the son of William Henry Brown and Edna Tarlton Brown and had three sisters, Myrtis B. Gigstead, Doris B. Ellis, and Bonnie B. Thomas, all of whom have preceded him in death.
Roy was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. When surrounded by family the children clamored to him. He was known in the family as Grandad. He was dearly loved and will be greatly missed. He was deeply loyal to those he loved and cared about. He and his wife Lucy made lifelong friends throughout the decades of their life and travels together. His family has been blessed by so many of these friendships.
One of his good friends, and fellow member of the JAGC, sums up the essence of who he was, “Roy, you’ve represented the best of the JAGC in my mind. That feeling emanated from our commutes from Schofield Barracks to Fort Shafter in your Volkswagen. Our conversations were so meaningful and educational for me. You taught me so much about the practice of law, the JAGC, the Army, and plain old courage. I’ll never forget those lessons.”
His family is thankful for the blessing of having him with them for such a long, wonderful, full life.
There will be a Celebration of Life service in Huntsville on April 27, 2024.
In lieu of flowers, the family ask that you donate to the USS Yorktown Association. USS Yorktown CV10 Association, P.O. Box 1021, Mt. Pleasant, SC, 29465.
