Roger Dan Brown, Sr. passed away peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday August 22, 2023. Roger was the youngest of seven born to Ethel and George Brown in Gastonia, NC. He was the “precious jewel” or the “honey” of the family. You know he felt very much loved by the way he talked about his mom, dad and siblings.
Roger attended Gastonia High School and then graduated from North Carolina State University with an Electrical Engineering degree.
He married Barbara Ann Tugman of Gastonia, NC after finishing college and they settled in Charlotte where he worked for Duke Power Co. He and Barbara knew each other from high school and church. Their first date was her going with him to drive his mom and sister to church and then to get an ice cream.
He went on to work for General Electric, Hamilton Beach and the West Co., which brought him to Kinston, NC. He was plant manager at the West Co. from 1975 until 1996. He loved working and being involved in his community. He was a member and president of the Rotary Club, a member and director of the Lenoir Memorial Hospital Board, member and president of Junior Achievement, and a member of the Chamber of Commerce.
He was also an active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Kinston. He has served as an elder and deacon. He very much enjoyed being a part of the “Handyman Club”. He enjoyed the service trips in West Virginia and Louisiana and helping with roofs and wheelchair ramps in Kinston.
After he retired from the West Co., he used his professional engineering license to start his own consulting business. He loved to continue learning and often took classes at Lenoir Community College. He went on to clean up environmental sites with Clean East Technologies, help maintain some of the buildings with the Kinston Housing Authority and work on electrical contracting jobs with his son’s company, E.B. Electric.
His hobby outside of work was golf. He really enjoyed his golfing buddies and the time he spent playing and talking with them. He got his third hole-in-one when he was 71. He and mom really enjoyed the dinners with the golfers and wives and their annual New Year’s Eve get together.
Roger loved to be active. He was working, playing golf or involved in his family. He enjoyed watching his 5 grandsons play baseball or soccer or football or trumpet or flute. He loved engaging in lively conversation and might say something outrageous just to get a good argument going. Brown family reunions were always fun for him as there were an abundance of nieces and nephews to golf, talk and hike with.
Roger was preceded in death by Barbara, his wife of 51 years, his parents, and his siblings Mildred Brown King, George Brown, Christine Brown, Francis Brown Laubach, Harold (Dick) Brown and Gene Brown.
Roger is survived by his daughter Linda Brown, his son Roger Dan Brown, Jr. (Danny) and daughter-in-law, Cheryl, his daughter Leslie Brown Bargiel and son-in-law John Bargiel, his five grandsons, Roger Brown III and wife Heather, Gabriel Brown and wife Melissa, Elijah Brown and wife Morgan, Joseph Bargiel and Eric Bargiel and wife Gabrielle. He is also survived by five great grandchildren, Emma, Hayleigh, Mason, Madelyn and Brayden.
A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at 11:00 am at Armstrong Cemetery, 703 Osceola Street, Gastonia, NC 28054.
A memorial service with reception following will be held on Friday, September 8, 2023 at 1:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church, 2101 N. Heritage Street, Kinston, NC 28501.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church at 2101 N. Heritage Street, Kinston, NC 28501.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.carothersfuneralhomegastonia.com for the Brown family.
