Also known as Clay County's "Wild Man Brown," Orval died at age 97. He was the son of John Logan Brown and Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Mitchell) Brown of Sycamore Creek near Indore, West Virginia. He outlived his brothers, Alva and Thad, and sisters, Erma Brown Siers and Doris Brown Dorsey.
The Charleston Gazette (WV newspaper) reported on March 24, 2005 that Orval Brown, as a child, played in caves, read Tarzan comics and fantasized about living "wild among the beasts." At age 17 he left home to travel to the jungles of South America--but didn't get past the Rio Grande in Texas.
He returned home and "turned his love of the outdoors and physical fitness into a measure of celebrity during the Great Depression" by wearing a loincloth and allowing passing motorists to stand and take "Wild Man Fotos...with the bronzed, hairy man who flexed his muscles for the camera."
Orval Brown was in the U.S. Army two years and also served three years in the Navy during World War II. This local legend was a kind man and will be missed.
And this obituary:
Orval Elijah Brown, 97, died Sunday, March 20,2005, at Dovie's Retirement Home in Walton, WV. Orval, Clay County's "Wild Man", grew up on Sycamore Creek at Indore, WV. He was a veteran of the US Army and a WWII veteran of the US Navy. Orval is preceded in death by his parents, John Logan and Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Mitchell) Brown; his brothers, Alva and Thad; and his sisters, Erma Brown Siers and Doris Brown Dorsey.
Surviving family members include a sister-in-law, Amma Brown of Indore, a brother-in-law, Tilden Siers of Nicholas County, six nephews, eleven nieces, and hundreds of cousins and friends. He will be greatly missed.
Friends may share in our memories of Orval by calling from 6 to 9 pm on Friday, March 25, 2005, at Carl Wilson Funeral Home, Clay.
A Graveside service will be held at 11 am on Saturday, March 26, in the yard of Amma Brown's home at Indore. Burial will be in the Brown Cemetery at Indore.
The Charleston Gazette (WV newspaper) reported on March 24, 2005 that Orval Brown, as a child, played in caves, read Tarzan comics and fantasized about living "wild among the beasts." At age 17 he left home to travel to the jungles of South America--but didn't get past the Rio Grande in Texas.
He returned home and "turned his love of the outdoors and physical fitness into a measure of celebrity during the Great Depression" by wearing a loincloth and allowing passing motorists to stand and take "Wild Man Fotos...with the bronzed, hairy man who flexed his muscles for the camera."
Orval Brown was in the U.S. Army two years and also served three years in the Navy during World War II. This local legend was a kind man and will be missed.
And this obituary:
Orval Elijah Brown, 97, died Sunday, March 20,2005, at Dovie's Retirement Home in Walton, WV. Orval, Clay County's "Wild Man", grew up on Sycamore Creek at Indore, WV. He was a veteran of the US Army and a WWII veteran of the US Navy. Orval is preceded in death by his parents, John Logan and Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Mitchell) Brown; his brothers, Alva and Thad; and his sisters, Erma Brown Siers and Doris Brown Dorsey.
Surviving family members include a sister-in-law, Amma Brown of Indore, a brother-in-law, Tilden Siers of Nicholas County, six nephews, eleven nieces, and hundreds of cousins and friends. He will be greatly missed.
Friends may share in our memories of Orval by calling from 6 to 9 pm on Friday, March 25, 2005, at Carl Wilson Funeral Home, Clay.
A Graveside service will be held at 11 am on Saturday, March 26, in the yard of Amma Brown's home at Indore. Burial will be in the Brown Cemetery at Indore.
Also known as Clay County's "Wild Man Brown," Orval died at age 97. He was the son of John Logan Brown and Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Mitchell) Brown of Sycamore Creek near Indore, West Virginia. He outlived his brothers, Alva and Thad, and sisters, Erma Brown Siers and Doris Brown Dorsey.
The Charleston Gazette (WV newspaper) reported on March 24, 2005 that Orval Brown, as a child, played in caves, read Tarzan comics and fantasized about living "wild among the beasts." At age 17 he left home to travel to the jungles of South America--but didn't get past the Rio Grande in Texas.
He returned home and "turned his love of the outdoors and physical fitness into a measure of celebrity during the Great Depression" by wearing a loincloth and allowing passing motorists to stand and take "Wild Man Fotos...with the bronzed, hairy man who flexed his muscles for the camera."
Orval Brown was in the U.S. Army two years and also served three years in the Navy during World War II. This local legend was a kind man and will be missed.
And this obituary:
Orval Elijah Brown, 97, died Sunday, March 20,2005, at Dovie's Retirement Home in Walton, WV. Orval, Clay County's "Wild Man", grew up on Sycamore Creek at Indore, WV. He was a veteran of the US Army and a WWII veteran of the US Navy. Orval is preceded in death by his parents, John Logan and Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Mitchell) Brown; his brothers, Alva and Thad; and his sisters, Erma Brown Siers and Doris Brown Dorsey.
Surviving family members include a sister-in-law, Amma Brown of Indore, a brother-in-law, Tilden Siers of Nicholas County, six nephews, eleven nieces, and hundreds of cousins and friends. He will be greatly missed.
Friends may share in our memories of Orval by calling from 6 to 9 pm on Friday, March 25, 2005, at Carl Wilson Funeral Home, Clay.
A Graveside service will be held at 11 am on Saturday, March 26, in the yard of Amma Brown's home at Indore. Burial will be in the Brown Cemetery at Indore.
The Charleston Gazette (WV newspaper) reported on March 24, 2005 that Orval Brown, as a child, played in caves, read Tarzan comics and fantasized about living "wild among the beasts." At age 17 he left home to travel to the jungles of South America--but didn't get past the Rio Grande in Texas.
He returned home and "turned his love of the outdoors and physical fitness into a measure of celebrity during the Great Depression" by wearing a loincloth and allowing passing motorists to stand and take "Wild Man Fotos...with the bronzed, hairy man who flexed his muscles for the camera."
Orval Brown was in the U.S. Army two years and also served three years in the Navy during World War II. This local legend was a kind man and will be missed.
And this obituary:
Orval Elijah Brown, 97, died Sunday, March 20,2005, at Dovie's Retirement Home in Walton, WV. Orval, Clay County's "Wild Man", grew up on Sycamore Creek at Indore, WV. He was a veteran of the US Army and a WWII veteran of the US Navy. Orval is preceded in death by his parents, John Logan and Elizabeth "Lizzie" (Mitchell) Brown; his brothers, Alva and Thad; and his sisters, Erma Brown Siers and Doris Brown Dorsey.
Surviving family members include a sister-in-law, Amma Brown of Indore, a brother-in-law, Tilden Siers of Nicholas County, six nephews, eleven nieces, and hundreds of cousins and friends. He will be greatly missed.
Friends may share in our memories of Orval by calling from 6 to 9 pm on Friday, March 25, 2005, at Carl Wilson Funeral Home, Clay.
A Graveside service will be held at 11 am on Saturday, March 26, in the yard of Amma Brown's home at Indore. Burial will be in the Brown Cemetery at Indore.
