Larry Martin Brown, 81, of Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, passed away on August 17, 2022 at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare in Wilmington, NC after several years of living with Lewy Body Dementia with Parkinsonism.
Larry was born on November 25, 1940 in Grundy, VA to Otis and Georgia Brown. He graduated from Grundy High School in 1959 and served in the US Army from November 20th 1963 to November 19th 1965.
Larry loved people and was a friend to so many throughout his life. He was known for his honesty, loyalty and genuine spirit. His lifelong friends include Robert “Bull” Bevins, Clyde “Nose” Keene, Jack Hale, Tommy Joe Owens, Ted Osborne, Liz Mullins and Barbara Plymal.
He met the love of his life, Margaret Stiltner Brown, in 1969 after seeing her cross the street and he swears she stopped traffic. They wed in 1970. Their daughter Julie was born in 1975 and son Marty in 1977. If Larry had his way, one of his children would be named Johnny Unitas Richard Petty Brown.
Larry worked for Sears & Roebuck from 1969 to 2003, and those who worked for him knew his motto was “if you are on time, then you are late”. He ran catalog stores and everyone knows he was always the one to deliver whatever was ordered, on time and with a smile. His Sears friends include Gene York, Tom Wiseman, Chis Mabe and Debbie Roop Lester.
Larry became a diehard Redskins fan after his original favorite team, the Baltimore Colts, became traitors and left town “in the middle of the night”. He loved VA Tech and would talk about the Hokies with his good friend Buddy Cartwright.
Larry had an intense love of food, and his wife Margaret is known for her culinary skills that rival anything that can be found in restaurants. His all time favorites included fried chicken, homemade biscuits with brown sausage gravy, a medium rare ribeye, oysters raw or fried, hot dogs, cheese burgers and a fried thick cut bologna sandwich with Vidalia onion and mustard. For dessert banana pudding was always at the top of the list.
Larry was most proud of his grandchildren. His first born, Rebecca Pearl Lough, gets her impatience for “all that damn traffic” and love of a doughnut from him. He then welcomed Christina Michelle Gunter into the family and loved her like his own. Finally, his grandson William Linsey Brown came along which prompted him to get out his old high school #40 and “G” in order for Will to carry on his legacy. Will embodies the 100% all boy roughness that Larry and his brothers displayed in their youth.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents Otis and Georgia Brown, brother Harold Brown and sister JoElla Hall. He leaves behind his wife of 52 years Margaret Stiltner Brown, daughter Julie Lough and husband Chad, son Marty Brown and wife Candice, and brother Bob Brown and wife Cathy.
In honor of him, the family asks that donations be made to the facility that took such wonderful care of him and brought his family peace in ways no words can describe:
Lower Cape Fear LifeCare
1414 Physicians Drive
Wilmington, NC 28401
A celebration of life will be held at a later date in order for the family to plan the memorial/party that he deserves. In his honor, we ask that everyone have a chicken wing and a Bud Light, tell some old stories and listen to some good music on the back porch.
White Funeral and Cremation Service, Shallotte Chapel
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