Richard Allen Brown, MD
JANUARY 7, 1941 – JANUARY 4, 2015
After his short struggle with Lewy Body Dementia, on January 4, Richard abandoned his life’s true passions of faith, family, fishing and the practice of family medicine for his place in God’s heaven.
Richard was born and educated in Meridian, MS. He attended San Diego State University his freshman year of college, but Mississippi beckoned him home and he graduated from Ole Miss in 1962 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.
In the spring of 1963, Richard reported as a Second Lieutenant to the U.S. Ordnance School at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. When his training was finished, he was posted to Fort Benning, GA to begin specialized training with the 11th Air Assault Division, a helicopter experimental group preparing for war in Vietnam. When he finished his active training, he was given the Army Commendation Medal and after his commitment was completed retired as a Captain.
During this time, Richard made the decision to go to medical school, and after discharge he attended the Medical College of Georgia. Family Practice was a new specialty which appealed to him as he would be able to care for the whole family. When he graduated in 1970, he interned at City of Memphis Hospitals and completed his residency at Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. At that time, Oklahoma City was one of only three Family Practice residencies in the country.
Alabama was expanding their medical education programs, and Huntsville was selected to develop a Family Practice Residency. Richard moved from Oklahoma to become the first director of UAH’s residency.
Two years later, Richard resigned from the residency program to open a private practice. He maintained a commitment to medical education by having medical students spend time in his office to learn the skills of a family physician and emphasize the needs of overall family care. Over the years, his practice grew to several thousand patients. At one time, he was caring for five generations in one family. He was a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Huntsville/Madison County Medical Society.
In 2011, Richard retired feeling he had accomplished his goals of compassionate, comprehensive medical care to his patients.
Richard also served his church and community. He was a life-long Presbyterian serving as a deacon, elder, Bible and Sunday School Teacher, and member of the choir. As a member of the Huntsville Rotary Club, he was a Russell Barber and Paul Harris Fellow. He served on the board of Boy Scouts, the Huntsville Boys Club, and Hospice Family Care.
He was a loving husband to his wife Paula for 51 years, devoted father to Allyson Maske (Jim) and son Topher, and loving “Poppa” to Emma Stewart and J.D. Maske. His surviving siblings are El Brown (Dale), Beth Ifju, and Mike Brown. Many nieces and nephews and their children claim him as Uncle Richard.
Services are at First Presbyterian Church at 308 Gates Avenue, January 10th, with visitation at 10 a.m. and a celebration of Richards life at 11 a.m.
Donations in memory of Richard’s life can be made to communityfoundationhsv.org, donor advised fund, Richard Brown Fund. This fund was established to support medical care, education, and research. Donations may also be made to the charity of your choice.
