Joseph Brown

Joseph L. Brown, Jr., age 85, of Gulfport, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family, at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, on Friday, October 29, 2010.
A World War II U.S. Air Force Veteran, Joe was a graduate of Hattiesburg High School, attended Mississippi Southern College prior to his military service, and afterward received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Mississippi State University, where he was a member of the Gamma Upsilon Chapter of Sigma Chi Fraternity.
Upon graduation from MSU, Joe worked as a civil engineer for the Tennessee Valley Authority and PanAm Southern Corporation (later Amoco), where he was a Division Engineer and then a Senior Engineer before retiring in 1963. Joe moved to Gulfport in 1963, where he established his consulting engineering firm, Brown Engineers, Inc., which he operated for over 20 years. The firm was purchased by Bill Mitchell in the late 1980's, becoming Brown and Mitchell, Inc. Joe remained with Brown and Mitchell, Inc. as Senior Consultant until his full retirement in 2000. Since its inception, Brown and Mitchell, Inc. has earned a regional reputation for providing exceptional engineering services for the public and private sectors.
Joe was a charter member of North Park Presbyterian Church of Jackson, MS, serving as deacon and elder. After moving to Gulfport in 1963, he became a member of First Presbyterian Church of Gulfport, where he served as teacher, elder, emeritus, and trustee. Joe joined the Gulfport Kiwanis Club in 1963 and was an active member and volunteer for 46 years, during which time he served as past president and was named a Hixon Fellow. In 2009, the Gulfport Kiwanis Club honored Joe's 46 years of community service by awarding him with the Tablet of Honor- the highest honor that can be given to a Kiwanis member.
Joe served and held leadership positions in a number of other professional and civic organizations including, past chairman of the Salvation Army, former vice-president and director of the Gulfport Chamber of Commerce, past president of the Mississippi Engineering Society, and past director of the National Society of Professional Engineers. He was a Fellow and life member of the Consulting Engineering Counsel of Mississippi, a Fellow of the American Consulting Engineering Council, a member of the Engineering Advisory Board at Mississippi State University, and a member of the Mississippi State Board of Registration for Engineers and Land Surveyors, to which he was appointed to serve three terms by the Governor of the State of Mississippi.
Joe was the recipient of many awards and honors throughout his life. He is a past recipient of the Engineer of the Year award from the Mississippi Engineering Council and the Teddy Roosevelt Award from the Consulting Engineering Council of Mississippi, and he was listed in the American Association of Engineering Society's Who's Who in Engineering.
Joe enjoyed deep sea fishing on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and spent many years fishing in the Chandeleur Islands and cruising the waters with his family and friends on his boat, the Hotty Toddy. He was a member of the Gulfport Yacht Club, twice serving on its Governing Board.
Later in life, Joe developed an interest in genealogy and conducted extensive research on his family. This interest and research led to the discovery of authentic Civil War letters written from the battlefield by Joe's ancestor to his wife and children in Mississippi. These letters formed the basis for Joe's book, ""My Dear Wife and Little Boys"", which was published in 2004. The actual letters were donated by Joe to Beauvoir, the last home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, where they are on display in its library.
In response to Hurricane Katrina, Joe spent numerous hours as a volunteer through First Presbyterian Church of Gulfport and Camp Hope, which was created to house volunteers assisting the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Lancaster Brown, Sr. and Edna Lee Scott; his sister Ruth Brown Webb Smith; and his brother, William Scott Brown.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Elaine Breazeale Brown, of Gulfport; two sons, Joseph Lancaster Brown, III and his wife Lynn of Tallahassee, FL, and Charles Breazeale Brown and his wife Theresa of Gulfport; a daughter Cindy Brown McCabe and her husband Mike of Gulfport; five grandchildren, Jordan Brown and his wife Kathryn, Michael McCabe and his wife Yvonne, Matthew McCabe and his wife Morgan, Katie McCabe, and Lauren Brown; a great-granddaughter, Louise McCabe; a step-granddaughter, Shelley Call; and a great-step-granddaughter, Emma Call.
A private interment with Military Honors will take place at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Gulfport. A Memorial Service will be held at 12:00 Noon, Monday, Nov. 1, with a visitation for family and friends one hour prior, at First Presbyterian Church, Gulfport.
Memorial donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 10885 O'Neal Rd, Gulfport, MS 39503.
RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOMES, Gulfport is in charge of arrangements.
An obituary can be viewed and guestbook signed at www.riemannfamily.com.