Howard James Brown

"Do not go gently into the good night, but rage, rage against the dying of the light."

Born on a farm in the mountains on the outskirts of Toccoa, Georgia April 22 1922. Howard, a self-proclaimed hillbilly and “Georgia Boy”, was the second of 8 children born to Mell David Brown and Annie Fulbright Brown. As many young men did during the great depression Howard left the farm and cotton mills of Georgia and South Carolina to join the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). This experience took him all the way to California and not only helped support the family back in Georgia but prepared him for life’s challenges and hard knocks. With WWII in progress Howard was drafted into the US Army in 1942 and entered formal training at Camp Beale California as part of “California’s Own” 13th Armored Division (Black Cats). The division was later transferred to Camp Bowie in Brownwood Texas where it trained for its’ combat assignment. Although he didn’t talk of it until years later, Howard was very proud of the role he played as part of the 3rd squad, 3rd platoon, C Company, 124th Armored Engineer Battalion. The 13th Armored Division (part of Patton’s 3rd Army and Walton Walker’s 20th Corps) rolled across France and entered combat at the Rhine River in the Battle for the Rhur Pocket. The division then blitzed along the Rhine Valley into Braunau, Austria (Hitler’s Birthplace) as the war in Europe came to an end. The division was reassigned to California where it was training for the Invasion of Japan when WWII ended. Howard thoroughly enjoyed unit reunions in his later years and served 2 years as President of the 13th Armored Division Association. Howard was also fortunate enough to be on Flight # 7 of the DFW Honor Flight in October 2011. The family will always be grateful to the DFW Honor Flight organization for selecting Howard for Flight # 7.

It was during his training and duty at Camp Bowie in Brownwood that he met his future wife of 66 years Alta Marie Booth of Cross Plains. They were married on December 22, 1944 just before Howard shipped off to Europe. After the war Howard and Alta travelled across the country as Howard began a 45 year career in the glass business. Howard glazed buildings from Lompoc, California all the way up the Mississippi River from New Orleans and Memphis to Moline, Illinois and as far east as Pittsburgh PA. In 1951 Howard and Alta finally settled in Grand Prairie Texas where Howard continued his glass business and Alta contributed to many community affairs while raising their two daughters, Shirley Jean and Linda Joy. Howard talked often about the many glass jobs he did. He was proud to have worked for so many outstanding organizations such as Oak Cliff Glass, Binswanger Glass, and Payne & Howard and glazed many of the iconic structures around Dallas such as Presbyterian Hospital and the original TI SC Building. Howard and Alta were lifelong members of the Prairie Heights and First United Methodist Church in Grand Prairie.

Howard enjoyed many years of hunting and fishing with his son-in-law Larry and grandson Sam at the Cross Plains farm and Brownwood Lake. He and Alta also enjoyed years of RVing with their RV club Merry Mobile Methodist and volunteer work at the Grand Prairie Visitors Center. After Alta’s passing in 2011 Howard continued supporting the Grand Prairie Visitor Center and PTA and enjoyed the many friendships he and Alta formed during their 66 years in Grand Prairie.

Howard was preceded in death by his wife Alta (2011), his daughter Shirley Jean Floyd (1970), and a grandson Samuel Howard Sutton (1980). He is survived by his daughter Linda (Sutton) and her husband Larry, his grandson Samuel James Sutton and his wife Jennifer Luken, and two great grandchildren Roger and Sophia. In Georgia, Howard was preceded in death by his parents (Mell David and Annie Fulbright Brown), two brothers (Edwin, Dwaine) and one sister (Bonnie Elrod). He is survived in Georgia by 3 sisters (Willard Harbert, Dorothy Gillispie, Louise Elrod) and one brother (Billie).

A Celebration of Life will be held 6:00 p.m., Thursday, May 31, 2018 at Bean-Massey-Burge Funeral Home Chapel followed by private interment in Cross Plains Cemetery.

Family requests donations may be made to the DFW Honor Flight, Susan G Komen Breast Cancer, First United Methodist Church Grand Prairie, Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Mission Arlington, or the charity of your choice.