Richard David Brown

Richard David Brown, trusted and beloved husband, father, stepfather, brother, grandfather, uncle, and friend, died in his home on March 5, 2020, when his large heart simply stopped--one day after his 83rd birthday.

He was kindness wrapped in dry humor, intelligence encased in a thorough understanding of human nature, loyalty inside a tall, energetic, engaging frame, a deep, sometimes startling, infectious laugh that blotted out the sins of the world.

His eyes sparkled with mischief, loved with intensity, stared right through you, and could instantly send you on a different path. He enlightened you or burdened you with the truth, if you wanted to hear it.

He loved his family. His children meant the world to him and his grandchildren brought him much joy and many, many basketball games. They, in turn, loved him for many reasons, including the fact that he could and would say the most unexpected, politically incorrect things.

Dick was born March 4, 1937, in Baton Rouge, LA, to Cecil and Grace Harribine Brown. He lived there happily, as he told the story, until his family dragged him to New Jersey.

He graduated from Brown University in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Following a stint in the U.S. Army, he attended the University of Pittsburg where he received his master’s degree in Public Administration.

He moved to Austin in 1963, where he began his long association with the Texas Municipal League, as an administrative aide. In 1970, at the age of 33, he was named executive director, where he served for 15 years, honing his skills at the legislature representing an organization that did not make large campaign contributions. To get a legislator’s attention he had to do it the hard way—by study, hard work and the sheer force of logic and detail.

The legislative process and Dick Brown—game on. His love affair with the State Capitol and those who worked in it lasted 50 years.

After retiring from TML in 1984, he represented many different clients and was routinely named one of the state’s top lobbyists. In a field that is more art than science, he was respected for his candor, hard work and competency; and most of all, results. His opponents often called him a respected adversary. He was nicknamed The Mystic and The Enigma in some circles, because he was disarmingly discreet and developed an extensive intelligence network

During the halcyon days of The Quorum Club, he was known to man the piano. He had a way of intertwining his nice and easy way of playing show tunes and “oldies” with his sharp knowledge of the rules and the players at the dome, which made for late nights and legislative negotiations more often than not.

When Dick was not in the Capitol, he was in the trenches--the suburban trenches. He served as alderman, mayor pro-tem and mayor of the City of Rollingwood from 1985 to 1995.

While there, he led an effort to roll back the City of Austin’s wholesale water rates to Rollingwood, using the refund from the city to underwrite the purchase of parkland and little league fields in Rollingwood.

One of Dick Brown’s proudest achievements was the bill he devised creating library districts. The bill, which funded libraries though a local option sales tax, was written for the Westbank Community Library, which prior to its passage existed off cupcake sales and fundraisers. More than 15 library districts have been created across the state since the bill passed into law.

Dick is survived by his wife Jann, his son Pat Brown, daughter Karen Gregory and her husband Rusty Gregory, and grandchildren Brittany, Lauren and David Gregory; his step-daughter Maggie Baker, and her husband Jim Baker and grandchildren Jake, Josh and Morgan Baker; his step-son Billy Phenix and his wife Monika Phenix, and grandchildren Lucy, Grayson, Alice and Betty Phenix; his sister Pat Levy and her husband Lew Levy; his sister Dolly Butler and many nephews and nieces.

He is predeceased by his parents and his brother Robert “Bob” Brown.

A memorial service celebrating Dick’s life will be held at Smith Chapel at Riverbend Church, 4214 N. Capital of Texas Hwy on Saturday, March 14, 2020 at 2:30 p.m. Reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Austin ATXhelps.org or to ATX Helps, c/o the Austin Chamber of Commerce, ATTN Mike Rollins, 535 East 5th Street, Austin, TX 78701, 512-478-9393.