Charles Richard Brown II

Charles R Brown II was born October 28, 1918 to Charles R Brown I and Grace Brown. He had an older sister Lucille and a younger sister Marjorie.

He was born in 1918 in the capital city, the pentacle of freedom, at the end of WWI and during the worst flu pandemic in recent history. He lived through the Great Depression and went on to fight and defend freedom in WWII. He was a fighter pilot and served in the Pacific Theater and was part of the Occupation of Japan. 

These trying times made him part of Greatest Generation. He was a man of personal responsibility, humility, work ethic, frugal savings and faithful commitment.

When Charles returned home from the war he bought a piece of land in Lanham, Maryland where he hand built his first home. Soon after he meet Norma Jean Souther and they married in 1957. Norma and her 2 children John and Jerri moved into the home in Lanham and the family continued to grow with the birth of their daughter Cindy and son Charles III.

He was a hard worker and faithful provider for his family.  Charles worked for Western Electric for 35 years and at the age of 100 he was retired longer than he worked.  During his working years his son recalls him staying up late, often until midnight reading his Bible and getting at 5am the following morning.

Charles accepted Jesus Christ as his savior in 1968 at the age of 50.  He was a humble and faithful member of Riverdale Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and Sunday School teacher for many years. He often said two of the most fulfilling times in his life were being in the military and teaching Sunday School.

He loved nature and animals.  He would keep a bag of peanuts on his back porch to hand feed the squirrels at his house in Lanham.

He especially liked dogs.  We all enjoyed stories of his beloved dog Mack.

He enjoyed camping and the outdoors and he passed this appreciation of nature down to his children.  As a father he instilled a love of God and a deep sense of patriotism to his children.

He was a story teller.  He would recall growing up in DC riding street cars around town running up and down the stairs of the Washington Monument, and seeing President Roosevelt riding in the open air car.  He was a true Washingtonian.

When asked what the secret is to long life he said “it’s simple, just keep moving, stay active.”

It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to you today. We lose a loving father and good friend. The country loses a veteran from the Greatest Generation. Heaven gains a faithful man where he is reunited with his wife and is in the presence of his Savior.