Frank Wilson Brown

Brown Sr.

Decatur

Frank Wilson Brown Sr., who was given the nickname "Snooks" by a family maid shortly after he was born 95 years ago, died December 28, 2011, at his home in Decatur.

Snooks was born October 12, 1916, in Lexington, Ky., the fifth of seven children born to James Norman Brown and Georgenia Arantz Brown. In 1928, his family moved to Dickson, Tennessee. He moved to Decatur around 1930 to live with his mother's family in the old Arantz home at the end of Oak Street - land that is now Rhodes Ferry Park.

During World War II, he was assigned to the Army Post Office in New York City where he worked for 38 months. In 1946, he built a home on Eighth Avenue Southeast and lived there 44 years, raising five children. He retired from the Decatur Post Office in October 1971 after 34 years. He then took a job at Mutual Savings Insurance Co. and worked there for seven years.

Snooks was preceded in death by his wife, Lillie Couch Brown in 2006; son, James Norman Brown III, in 2003; and great-granddaughter, Kate Langford in 2008; sister, Ala D. Glass, and his brothers, James Norman Brown, Jr., Arantz Carl "Buster"

Brown, and Eugene Brown. He is survived by sons, Frank Wilson Brown Jr. (Marcey) of Huntsville and Robert Andrew Brown of Springfield, Va.; daughters, Barbara Gale Lemmond (James) of Gretna, La., and Vivian Maria Brown of Decatur; granddaughters, Joni Brown Davis of Graham, N.C., Teri Lemmond Camp (Josh) of Gretna, La., Maribeth Brown of Auburn, Melissa Brown Creel (Drew) of Canton, Miss., Michelle Brown of Crystal Springs, Miss.; and nine great-grandchildren and his sister, Mary Jane Winton.

Snooks enjoyed sports, especially Auburn and Decatur High football, Atlanta Braves baseball, and Kentucky basketball. He loved to garden and had great respect for his family's history.

The funeral service will be held Friday, December 30, 2011 at 2 p.m. at Annunciation of the Lord Catholic Church. The visitation will be two hours prior to the service. Burial will be in Decatur Cemetery, where he will be laid to rest beside Lillie, his wife of 63 years. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to Hospice of the Valley or Annunciation of the Lord Building Fund.