O.B. Brown's Challenger

The text of the "official" death announcement does not convey the warmth and helpfullness that those who knew O.B. received from him. During the last year and a half he had been undergoing different chemotherapies for cancer. During that time he kept as active as he could. He still helped out others and nearly daily continued his usual routine of breakfast at Peggy's restaurant in Wrens, Georgia. O.B. flew gyroplaness in the 1960s. There are photos of him on a gyroglider with pontoons. He also was a private pilot and belonged the the MCG Pilot's Club. He stopped flying about 15-20 years ago but in recent years he built his Challenger I ultralight which he flew to several flying club events, both EAA 172 and the rotorcraft club he belonged to, PRA Chapter 13. He was looking forward to the Sports Pilot so he could use his drivers license as a medical. He was going to get a two place Challenger sports plane. O.B. Brown was always willing to help out -- he used his motorgrader (no charge!) to fix up several people's airfields. He also worked on neighbor's roads. He was very interested in tractors -- he had some nicely restored ones which he had in a parade in Wrens a year or two ago. Recently he worked with a club member restoring an old tractor. He was very knowledgeable about many mechanical things. He also knew about the history of the Augusta area -- he had traveled that area for many years selling insurance.  Any time one drove someplace with him he could give the history of the area that was being traveled -- what buildings were there at one time, what family lived in a certain place and so on. He belonged to the Wrens Airport Group and kept his Challenger I ultralight at the Wrens, Georgia, airport hangar.  He built the Challenger I in his home hangar and based it at Wrens. Finally, he told one club member that only his mother had ever called him Olin. He was O.B. to all who knew him.

 


Retired State Farm Ins. Agent WRENS, Ga.- Mr. Olin Bryan Brown, III, 74, of 1447 Paradise Road, entered into rest March 3, 2004, at University Hospital. Funeral services will be held Friday, March 5, 2004 at 11 a.m., at Hillcrest Baptist Church with the Dr. Gordon Robinson officiating. Interment will follow at Ways Baptist Church Cemetery, Stellaville, Georgia. The family will receive friends tonight, Thursday, March 4, 2004 from 6 to 8 p.m., at the funeral home. Mr. Brown was a graduate of Gordon Military High School at Barnesville, Georgia and the University of Georgia at Athens, Georgia. He served two years in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict as a 1st Lt. While in Korea he was a Platoon Leader in the 2nd Inf. Division and served as an Aerial Observer with the United States Air Force before returning to the States. Mr. Brown was an insurance agent with State Farm Insurance in Augusta for forty years. He was a former member of South Augusta Optimist Club, American Business Men's Association, and Augusta Life Underwriters Association. In addition he was also an active member of Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 172, and during retirement he built and flew ultra light aircraft. Mr. Brown was a Deacon and Sunday School teacher at Hillcrest Baptist Church for over forty years. He was also Sunday School Director for eight years and served on many church related committees. Survivors include his loving wife of 50 years, Allene Brown, Wrens; one son, Sidney A. Brown and his wife Catherine A. Brown , Evans; two grandchildren, Benjamin Brown, 14 and Bethany Brown 8, Evans. Honorary Pallbearers will be the Deacons of Hillcrest Baptist Church, members of the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 172 and Augusta District State Farm Agents. Pallbearers will be Michael Adams, Bryan Adams, Fredric Ready, Alex Ready, James L. Cox and John Adams. Memorials may be made to Hillcrest Baptist Church, 3054 Deans Bridge Road, Augusta, GA 30906. James Funeral Home- Wrens, Ga. Published in The Augusta Chronicle on 3/4/2004.