Edward B. Brown

Edward Bynum Brown, known lovingly by his family as Deedaw, was a storyteller at heart with a sharp memory and a knack for making people chuckle. He was born to a family of six in Asheville, North Carolina, and collected some incredible stories along the way. He earned the nickname of “Borax” after he accidentally sent a team of mules carrying pulpwood all across Asheville at the age of 10.

At 17 he enlisted in the naval program to produce engineers for the war effort (WWII) with the written consent of his father, Albert Mack Brown. He enrolled at Georgia Tech where he met his beloved wife Helene on a group date when she peeked through the blinds at St. Mary’s School of Nursing and said, “I want to go out with the cute one with the curly hair.”

Edward devoted his life to providing for his family as the managing engineer of several lumber companies in Arkansas, Texas, and Alabama. Later at the age of 75 he created his own successful consulting company named Forest Products Engineering. He reluctantly retired at the age of 85.

As grandparents he and Meemaw rallied the troops together each year for the Brown Family Reunion beginning in the days of fold-out maps. He planned practical jokes to roll out during the week. The Brown Family Reunion was his favorite time of the year. Meemaw and Deedaw gathered everyone including Meemaw’s sister’s family to places like Cashiers NC, Austin TX, Charleston SC, and many reunions at Smith Lake. Memories were made with his children and all his grandchildren crabbing, canoeing, tubing, and waterskiing. He was a staunch advocate of keeping the tradition alive even as the grandkids grew up.

Deedaw loved duck hunting, skeet shooting, and his club The Izaak Walton League, one of America’s most successful conservation organizations to protect air, water, and wildlife.

Out of sheer love, he was an absolute “worry wart” when it came to checking in and watching over his family. He was promoted to a proud great-grandfather with the birth of Scotlyn Marie to granddaughter Carly and again with the birth of Leonora Helene to granddaughter Katrina.

Edward is survived by his daughter Carol, his sons Mack and Daniel, his sister-in-law Betty Kruzdlo, his nephew Alan and wife Pam Kruzdlo, his niece Susan, his niece Polly Belote Young, his grandchildren Katrina Brown-Aliffi, Jana Brown, Travis Fitzpatrick, Carly Brown, Breanne Brown, Austin Brown, and his great grandchildren Scotlyn Marie Brown, and Leonora Helene Brown-Aliffi.

A memorial service for Edward will be held Friday, September 29, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Ridout's Valley Chapel, 1800 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, AL 35209.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in memory of Edward Brown may be made to the Izaak Walton League.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ridoutsvalleychapel.com for the Brown family.