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Reginald Thomas "Tommy" Brown, Jr., passed away August 25, 2014, peacefully and in the comfort of his home after a 31-year battle with cancer. He was 83. Tommy was born in Arabie, Louisiana July 21, 1931 and was the son of the late Reginald Thomas Brown, Sr., and the late Lucille McCurley Brown. He was the brother of the late Gary Mack Brown. Tommy graduated from Baker High School in 1948 where he enjoyed athletics and played football, basketball, baseball and participated in track. He was a member of the Louisiana All State teams for football and basketball his senior year. He was recently inducted into the Baker High School Football Hall of Fame. Tommy entered LSU, became a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity and was a tight-end of the LSU football team in 1949, 1950, and 1951. He played in the 1950 Sugar Bowl Game. Tommy graduated from LSU in 1952. In 1951, he married Sue Vignes, who preceded him in death. They were married 60 years and raised four sons. In their early married life, they moved to Maryland where Tommy was on active duty in the U.S. Navy. In 1956 they moved with their two young sons to the Caribbean island of Trinidad where Tommy was the Human Resources Director of an international management staff that opened a W. R. Grace plant. They returned to South Louisiana and their family continued to grow. Tommy then became the Human Resources Manager for the joint venture of Borden Chemical, Monochem, Uniroyal and Rubicon in Geismar, Louisiana. He later became the Human Resource Director of Ciba-Geigy in St. Gabriel, Louisiana. In 1968, he founded Brown-Eagle Corporation, which specializes in product handling for petrochemical plants and refineries. The company is still headquartered in Baton Rouge, but has had offices in Houston, Mobile, Louisville, and Chicago and Joliet, Illinois. Tommy and Sue spent many years travelling around the world visiting more than 25 countries, sometimes for months at a time. Tommy is survived by four sons and two daughters-in-law: Reginald Thomas Brown, III and wife, Jaynie, of Baton Rouge; Walter Gordon Brown of Austin, Texas; John Randall Brown and wife, Jennifer, of Atlanta, Georgia; and Paul Robinson Brown of Baton Rouge. He is survived by his grandchildren: Zachary Brown, Amy Rebecca Brown, Jessica Rachel Brown, Steven Wayne Reed II, Anna Christina Reed, Matthew McGraw and Madeline McGraw. He was preceded in death by his sister-in-law, Vida Virginia Vignes Harrell and is survived by her husband, Donal Harrell and a nephew and two nieces: Terry Harrell, Ginger Herrera and husband, Dan, and Susan Gruzmacher and husband, Peter; and three great-nieces: Anne Herrera Reesman and husband, Edwin; Elizabeth Herrera and Colleen Harrell, all of Houston, Texas. The Brown family would like to thank Dorothy Gosserand and Lela Mae Wilkes for their many, many years of dedicated service. They would also like to thank Meagan Smith, Tommy's personal assistant, Creative Care Solutions and The Hospice of Baton Rouge for their compassion and care in his final days. Visitation will be from 5-8 PM Friday, September 5, 2014 at Rabenhorst downtown. A eulogy will be given at 6:30 PM. Final interment will be at Roselawn Cemetery in a service for the family, Saturday, September 6, 2014. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.
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6 Entries
My deepest sympathy for the family of Mr. Brown..May God Bless You...I worked yrs. ago at Brown-Eagle..RIP
Cecile Doucet
September 6, 2014
I'm sorry to here of your fathers passing, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
John Jennings
September 4, 2014
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.
Betty Vignes Patin
September 3, 2014
Sorry to hear of Tommy's passing. His wife Sue was my cousin.
Kay Vignes-Reed
September 3, 2014
My thoughts and prayers are with you.Tommy will be greatly missed.Betty Jane Jeter Greer(LSU and Wesley foundation)
Betty Greer
September 3, 2014
Your father was my boss when he served as HR Manager at Borden/Monochem/ Uniroyal in the 1960's. I have many pleasant memories of those days. I send my condolences. Every effort will be made to attend his service on Friday night at Rabenhorst. No bond is as great at that of a parent and child. My deepest sympathy is with all of you.
Fay R. Babin
Fay R. Babin
September 2, 2014
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