Maurice Brown

Maurice Brown, 87, died peacefully on August 15 at Rolling Green Village following a period of declining health due to dementia. Born in Chesterfield, SC on May 27, 1930, he was a son of the late Donald Austin Brown and Ella Price Brown.

Upon high school graduation, Maurice was in the navy for a one-year commitment when he learned that he had been awarded a Byrnes Scholarship, established by former SC Governor, James F. Byrnes, for students with at least one deceased parent. This enabled Maurice to attend Furman University where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order and the Furman Singers. A great lover of music, after graduation in 1953, he spent the summer performing at Chastain Park in Atlanta with the Municipal Theater before beginning his accounting career with S.D. Leidesdorf (now Ernst & Young). After 12 years on the audit trail, he served for 18 years as Controller for Southern Weaving Company and then opened his own firm, Maurice Brown, CPA where he enjoyed helping his clients and building many great friendships over the next 30 years; retiring in 2013 to care for his wife, Ann, until her death in 2014.

A member of First Baptist Church, Maurice sang in their choir for a number of years before joining the choir at Trinity Lutheran where Ann was a member. He sang with the Greenville Chorale and had the pleasure of singing for many weddings and funerals for family and friends.

Always willing to volunteer his time and lend his accounting skills, he served on many boards, often as treasurer, for organizations such as The American Red Cross, Greenville-Furman Fine Arts, Administrative Management Society, Safe Harbor, The Kiwanis Club, The Greenville Chorale and The Byrnes Foundation. Through the years he received many awards for his dedicated service.

Maurice was very active in SAIL swimming, serving at Stone Lake Pool as well as on the SAIL board in various capacities. During their 53 years of marriage, he and Ann enjoyed working together in their yard, being members of several local dance clubs, and getting together with their “Steak Club” friends.

He is survived by daughters, Allison Rhyne (Jack Evans), Farrar Pittman (Mike Trask), Leslie Luke (David); son Walton Brown (Christina); grandchildren Cullen Harper, Ryan Pittman, Miles Pittman, David Luke, Matthew Luke, Tiffany Taylor, and Vick Maddox; sister Laura Latimer and brother Don Brown.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Ann Campbell Brown; son, Carlton Campbell Brown; brothers DaCosta, Jake, Lorraine, Racine and Yates Brown; and sisters Frances Brown and Elizabeth Griggs.

A celebration of life service will be held Tuesday, August 22 at noon at The Mackey Mortuary with the Reverend David Howell officiating. The family will receive friends at the mortuary from 10:00 am -11:45 am prior to the service. The burial service will be private.

The family would like to thank the staff members at The Gardens Eastside, Rolling Green Village, and Lutheran Hospice for the care they gave to Maurice.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The James F. Byrnes Foundation, P.O. Box 6781, Columbia, SC 29260; Furman University (note “for Furman Singers”) Dr. Hugh Floyd, Music Dept, Furman University, Greenville, SC 29613; or The Greenville Chorale, c/o 101 Castlemaine Drive, Greenville, SC 29617.