Willis E. Brown, Jr.

Willis Ellsworth Brown, Jr. passed away peacefully on August 12 surrounded by family and friends. Willis was born 1938 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The eldest son of Dorothy Anderson Brown and Dr. Willis E. Brown. He would soon follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Dr. Robert Ellsworth Brown and become a physician.

Willis attended Vanderbilt University and was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order. During his time at Vanderbilt, commencing both undergraduate (1960) and medical school (1963), he was awarded numerous honors including Phi Beta Kappa Society (1960), the Roche Award (1961), membership to Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (1962), and the Founder’s Medal (1963) for graduating 1st in his class. It was at Vanderbilt where he met his wife, Elizabeth Ann Bliedung, while he was attending college and medical school. Ann and Willis were married in 1960 and spent several years in Washington, D.C. Willis was drafted by the Civil Service as a Clinical Associate at the National Institutes of Health, where he developed skills in general surgery. Unabated by this detour, his dream was to become a neurosurgeon. Willis was accepted into an elite neurosurgical program at The University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis, MN., where he also earned his PhD in Philosophy (1974). While in residency, his long-time colleague, Dr. Jim L. Story, the founding faculty for the Neurosurgery program, asked him to join the Division of Neurosurgery in San Antonio. Willis and Ann packed up their young family and moved to San Antonio to help redefine medicine in South Texas. In 1974, as a full-time faculty member for the division of neurosurgery at The University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio and Robert B. Green, the residency training program became fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

Willis was devoted to his family, church and community. He believed in giving back with a servant’s heart and served on many professional and civic boards including Rotary Club of Alamo Heights (President, 1985-1986), Society of University Neurosurgeons (1987-1988), Society of Neurological Surgeons (President, 1989), Southern Neurological Society (President 1989-1990), and Neurosurgical Society of America (President, 2003-2004). In addition, Willis was deeply committed and involved with St. Luke’s Episcopal Church & School for over 45 years. He served on the parish vestry and served as St. Luke’s Episcopal School Board Chair (1977-1982) and Texas Military Institute Board Chair (1980).

Willis was preceded in death by his loving and devoted wife of over 56 years, Elizabeth Ann Bliedung Brown and his brother Dr. Robert M. Brown. Willis is survived by his son, Willis E. Brown, III; former daughter-in-law Jenifer Tepera Brown; daughter, Lisa Ann Brown Straub, and husband David; grandchildren, August and Elizabeth Straub and Claire Brown. Sister-in-law, Sally Brown O’Neil; her children Robert M. Brown, Jr. (Valerie) and Reidy Brown (John), numerous great nieces and nephews. The family extends their gratitude and special thanks to Irene Alaniz for her loyal companionship and care for over 25 years.

MEMORIAL SERVICEMONDAY, AUGUST 21, 202310:00AMST. LUKE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH11 ST LUKES LN