Lelton Brown

At four years old he was finally allowed to go to school and apparently, he loved it! However, on his first day when his mother sat him down to help him with his homework he said “Mother, I don’t need any help! I know everything!” and the Alpha trait was born. Throughout his life he exhibited the traits of an Alpha Male/Man. He was a born leader, albeit the second child he was the one they looked up to and followed. He was after all the Alpha Male of the children of the family. Make no mistake, Willie Clay Brown was the Alpha Male, Head of the Family. Lelton or L.C. as he became fondly called, continued his Alpha Quest as he quickly mastered the education game, graduating from High School at the age of 16. He entered Alabama A&M on a football scholarship at what now seems to be a tender age for college and for sure college football, but he was young and tough and for those who have ever shaken hands with him, you know he had the hands to prove it.

While at A&M he “crossed the burning sands” pledging the House of Alpha, Delta Gamma Chapter. The characteristics of the Men of Alpha are very similar to what are considered the traits of the Alpha Male traits. An Alpha male is typically defined as a man who takes the lead in most situations and possesses a high level of self-respect. He is often confident and assertive and self-assured. It would seem they wrote this definition after meeting Lelton.

He excelled at every level and rose to meet his challenges, a poor black boy from the Landersville community outside of Moulton, Alabama. A community so small and close-knit that he said he had to come over to the Shoals area to find a girlfriend who wasn’t his cousin! When he found her, they married and were inseparable until now for more than sixty-six years. He met Alyce Doss, and they built a life together! He, after graduating from Alabama A&M with a B.S. degree in History and Science, taught school for 46 years after stopping along the way to go to Tennessee State College (now University) to obtain a Master of Science in Biology and Education and later attending the University of North Alabama to obtain an Educational Specialist Degree and courses that put him in a position to receive a doctoral degree. When he was asked why he didn’t go on to get is Doctorate after getting that close, he said “I don’t need it, I already know everything they could teach me and I don’t want to waste the time when I know more than most of the instructors.” Yes, he really said that, even fifty years after he first told his mother that he “knew everything.” He really was an “Alpha Man.”

When the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity was introduced to UNA and a graduate chapter was formed, surely you can guess that L.C. would be one of the founding members. He joined the Kappa Nu Lamba Chapter of Alpha Phi Aplpha and remained an active member until his death. In fact, he was planning to attend the upcoming Black-Out in November and had “informed” the entire family that they were all going! He was a proud Alpha Man and he loved Alpha Phi Alpha so much that his family lovingly referred to him as “Mr. Alpha.” He looked forward to every Alpha Event, especially the Alpha Ball and Banquet and was in secret competition with the other brothers to sell the most tickets and have the most guests in attendance! And yes, he was already making plans for the next April event.

Though it seems he only had time for Alpha, in fact, because he was a true “Alpha Man” he made time for other avenues of service and fulfillment in his life. He had become a member of the household of faith at an early age and was baptized a “Baptist” at Landersville Baptist Church. But remember that Doss girl he married, her father was a CME preacher who happened to be his mother’s pastor at one time! So, after their marriage, he attended Lesley Temple CME Church on a full-time basis. When his older daughter, Ouida joined the church, he determined that it made no sense to attend and work and serve in one church while you had membership in another and so his absolute commitment to Methodism the CME way was born, and he united with the fellowship of Christ and joined Lesley Temple in 1968. He never looked back and his second title after “Mansel Long, Sr and Arthur D. Graves, became “Mr. Lesley Temple.” He served faithfully until his death as a Steward, a Trustee and a Treasurer-he will be sorely missed!

In the spirit of all great “Alpha Men” he believed in “public and civil service.” He was a member of the ADC, the NAACP, and for 35 years he served on the Civil Service Board of the City of Tuscumbia. In that capacity, he was instrumental in recruiting and hiring young blacks to come and work for the “City of Tuscumbia” whenever there were job openings and in anticipation of openings he talked to and encouraged young people to “get their act together” so they would be available and eligible to apply and be hired in the position that came available. He was successful in his quest to hire more blacks in the City of Tuscumbia. He believed in the power of the vote and encouraged and actively engaged in voter registration and activities to “Get Out The Vote!” He voted in every election regardless of the level of voting because he believed that not only did every vote count, but the person who cast that vote mattered and deserved good and fair representation at every governmental level. If you knew him-he would say to you now-make plans to go and vote in the next election!

For all of his life as an educator, “Mr. Brown” taught in the Lawrence County School System. He began his career as a teacher in the segregated system and his first teaching position was at the all black Moulton High, where many of the students were older than he was. He was not intimidated, after all, he was an Alpha Man! When the system was integrated, and Moulton was closed, he began his career at Hazelwood High School as one of the first “black” teachers, he was undaunted! As many of his students could “attest,” he was more likely to be the formidable intimidator with his ever present references to “going behind the Green Door”! If you were a student of “Mr. Brown’s,“ you never wanted to “know or go behind the green door” and yet his students to a person, “Loved Mr. Brown! He taught Biology, Chemistry and Physics and once to his dismay, 7th grade Science. (He thought 7th graders were too young because he was used to juniors and seniors! who didn’t cry when he told them “I will get those hams,” only sometimes after he got them!)

L.C. also coached basketball, baseball, and football during his educational sojourn. After moving to Hazelwood, he transitioned to only academic subjects. He of course never lost interest in sports, and he was the teams’ greatest supporter and fan! Mr. Brown sponsored and rode the “fan” buses to all the away games and especially the championship playoffs and finals games. He had to make time for the games at those times when he was not officiating the games himself! He was a very proud member of the AHSAA, of officials. He was an official for both basketball and football and was considered an outstanding official for both sports for 47 years, receiving numerous commendations for his excellent service and performance in that role. He was so proficient in this role that the association for Professional Football Officials contacted him and insisted he take the test to join the ranks of professional referees. He passed the test with one of the highest percentiles.

Although he passed the written tests with flying colors, remember “he knew everything,” other requirements for the NFL officials lead him to the decision to forego the process since he was already sixty years old when he was asked to make application!

Lelton, as his wife Alyce fondly called him, excelled as a husband and father also! (Despite the fact that he finally found out that although he “knew everything,” he really didn’t know much about babies!) If you knew him, you had to know that he had “large hands” and they were extremely STRONG! Because of this fact, he believed that he would “break” a baby, they were too small for him to pick up and hold! Alyce quickly disavowed him of that notion and taught him how to pick up, hold, feed and most importantly, change the baby! Maybe, he surmised, “I really do know everything, now!”

L.C. as he was known to friends and business associates was best known at home as “Daddy.” Nothing thrilled him more than to have his children call him “daddy” and later in life his grandchildren call him “Paw-Paw Brown!” Although he only had three (3) biological children, he was a father and daddy to many, many more! Phanell, Ouida an Kim shared him with numerous “sisters and brothers” in love who he claimed as his “daughters” or “sons.” They sought his attention, advice and love and he gave to each one what they asked with patience, love and pride! Nothing pleased him more than to have family around him and so at every holiday, when possible, he would fire up the grill or have Sunday Dinners or even take the family out to eat days, I’m sure the restaurants “loved and hated” to see them coming!

Together, Alyce and Lelton nurtured and loved extended daughters beginning with Andre’, who was their niece! Andre’ “decided” to come and live with them when their youngest daughter Kim was born. According to her, she was going to take of “Kim”-of course she was only 14, so this would prove to be an interesting “caregiving” situation, but it was a loving and joyful one which gave Ouida and Kim their first “sister-in-love!” There were many to follow both in house, and some didn’t actually live in the home, but all were welcome, all were loved, and all made the family stronger and more loving and brought “Daddy” extreme Joy!

Lelton had learned about being family from his mother and father Willie and Annie Brown, who preceded him in death. He was the second of seven children, and they had a close-knit family unit, and each child was special, but they claim without malice, that “Lelton was always his mother’s favorite!” Evidence seems to support that claim, but it also shows that this special status also equipped him to be the “Alpha Man” of the children leading them into being good sons and daughters and brothers and sisters to each other. That same status allowed him to open his heart to include others in his life and family with or without a blood relation! He learned to love family!

And so, a real “Alpha Man” emerged in the person of Lelton Clay Brown. He loved the Lord. He loved Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and he loved his family unequivocally and resolutely!

His cherished being and loving memories will remain a part of his partner in life and love for more than 66 years, Alyce Doss Brown; his son, Willie Phanell (Kim) Pride, Russellville; daughters, Ouida Brown, Tuscumbia and Kimberly Brown Cole, Muscle Shoals; grandchildren, PJ and Thomas Pride; Angelique and Adia Rhodes, Alexandria, VA; sisters, Mattie Phillips, Muscle Shoals; Fannie Freeman, Tuscumbia; Delores (James) Johnson, Tuscumbia; brother, Lynn (Geneva) Brown, Lexington, TN; Sisters-in-Law, Royace Brown, Tuscumbia and Mary Brown, Huntsville, AL; Daughters-in-Love, Doris Foster, Angie Eatmon, Gloria Coman, Connie Jackson, Aretha Hogan and Joya Hardaman. Very Special Nieces, Michelle Simmons, Elaine Jones and Gail Williams. A host of Bonus grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Lelton was predeceased by: sister, Annie Phillips; brothers, Rather And Willie Frank Brown and Daughter-in-Love, Andre’ Rhodes.

The Alpha Man born as Lelton Clay Brown has received his Omega from the Alpha Almighty!