J. Walter Brown

Former Oak Hill Mayor, J. Walter Brown, 85, died on Wednesday, September 28, 2005 at Plateau Medical Center in Oak Hill, WV following a long illness. Born at Union, WV on March 13, 1920,he was the son of the late Henry Clay (H.C.) and Annie E. Cummings Brown. Mr. Brown was a member of the Oak Hill Baptist Church, Oak Hill, WV. His first wife, Hilda A. Scott Brown and a daughter, Linda Brown Miller, and a brother, Willie Brown preceded him in death. Walter was 17 years old in 1937 when he began hauling house coal from Pax and Minden. He served in the US Army during World War II being assigned to the Motor Pool. Following the war he returned to southern West Virginia picking back up on his coal delivery business. At the same time, he expanded into the moving business, hauling household items in a 1945 Dodge moving van, first locally and then long distance. In 1948, he added more vehicles and called his business Brownie's Transport. His vocation allowed Brown to feed his family, at the same time meeting the demand for the service of hauling coal, lumber and anything else people needed carried by motor transport. The moving business expanded to become an agent for North American Van Lines, United Van Lines, Burnham Van Line and Mayflower Company, operating in 48 states and Canada. In the 1940's Brownies began hauling for Long-Airdox, Company. Brown and his father, the late H.C. Brown, incorporated the business in the late 1950's calling it Brownie's Service, Inc. Added were the operations of Brownie's Pennzoil Station and Grocery Store, Brownie's Lumber Company and later, White Oak Bowling Lanes. In 1976, Brown bought out Perdue Transfer and Storage in Beckley, adding a second location to the transport business. Walter retired in 1986, right about the time of motor freight deregulation, which he felt really hurt the industry. Always civic minded he served as Mayor of Oak Hill for many years and remained an active member of the Oak Hill Sanitary Board even as his health began to fail. He was on the Board of Directors for Merchants and Miners National Bank and a member and former President of the Oak Hill Rotary Club. His presence and influence will be missed. Survivors include wife, Lessie Keffer Donnelly Brown of Oak Hill; a daughter, Betty (Art) Fornari of Rochester, New York; step son, Willis (Betty) Wooten of Oak Hill; 2 step daughters, Pat (Duke) Ramsey of Oak Hill and Lana (Howard) Cunningham of Parkersburg; 3 grandsons, Michael (Andrea) Fornari, Christopher (Amy) Fornari and Todd Fornari all of Rochester, New York; 4 step grandchildren and 3 step geat grandchildren. Services will be held 2:00 PM Sunday, October 2, 2005, at the Oak Hill Baptist Church, Oak Hill with the Rev. David White and Rev. David Sneed officiating. Burial will be at High Lawn Memorial Park. Friends may call from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM Saturday, October 1, 2005, at Tyree Funeral Home in Oak Hill. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial contributions be made to the Oak Hill Baptist Church, 613 Lundale Drive, Oak Hill, WV 25901.