Claud L. Brown
(1917 - 2016)
Entered into life on October 7, 1917 in Whitehouse, Texas. Passed peacefully on September 4, 2016 in McKinney, Texas Claud Brown, son of William and Ethel Brown, grew up on a farm in Whitehouse, TX with two brothers, William Colquit "WC" and William Lee "WL", and three sisters, Viola, Loretta and Pauline. He attended Whitehouse High School where he excelled at playing basketball. He attended Tyler Junior College on a basketball scholarship. After graduating from TJC, he attended Hardin Simmons University where he was captain of the basketball team. Three months prior to graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education, he was drafted into the Army. Claud, a World War II Veteran, was a 1st Sergeant with the 346th Corp of Engineers. He served overseas for two and a half years, landing on Utah Beach in 1944 and participating in the Battle of the Bulge. He returned home, married Ruth McElroy in 1945 and they moved to Port Arthur, TX where they raised twin daughters, Charlotte Brown Barrett and Charlene Brown Schnitzius. He worked for the Texas Employment Commission and refereed high school and college basketball. Later he purchased a Real Estate and Insurance agency which he owned and operated for 33 years. He established his own mortgage company, financing loans on homes he purchased and sold. Claud was a very active member in the Port Arthur community. He was a member of the Port Neches-Port Arthur-Nederland Board of Realtors, being named Realtor of the Year by the Port Arthur Realtors Association in 1970, 1971 and 1979. He attended and was honored in 2011 at the 85-year Port Neches-Port Arthur-Nederland Board of Realtors celebration as their oldest living past President. He belonged to the Port Arthur Lions Club of which he was President in 1975. In 1971, as President of the Hughen School for Crippled Children, a position he served for three years, he was instrumental in establishing the Bob Hope Vocational School for handicapped students. At that time, students at the Hughen School were only able to complete their education up to ninth grade. Claud enlisted Mr. Hope to put on a benefit concert to raise the funds to build a school so these students could continue their education. Mr. Hope participated in several more benefits over the years and visited the school on many occasions. It was the only such school in the nation at that time. Continuing his concern for disabled students and his strong belief in education, Claud established the Claud Brown Endowed Scholarship for Disabled Students at Tyler Junior College in 1989. The scholarship is awarded annually to deserving handicapped students who attend TJC. After retiring, he later moved to Lufkin, TX to be close to one of his twin daughters, Charlotte Brown Barrett. In 2012, he relocated to an assisted living facility in Plano, TX, close to his other twin daughter, Charlene Brown Schnitzius of Allen, TX. He was living in a memory care facility in McKinney, TX at the time of his passing. His favorite hobbies were vegetable gardening and fishing. Claud will be remembered for his caring nature and sense of humor. He loved to see everyone smile! Claud was greeted in Heaven by his wife of 32 years, Ruth McElroy Brown; his siblings, W.C., W.L., Viola, Loretta , Pauline, his parents, William and Ethel; step-daughter Gloria Thornton Cantrell; step-granddaughter Tracey Thornton; step-greatgrandson Lance Orta. His life and legacy will continue to be remembered and honored by his family: - Daughter Charlotte Brown Barrett, her spouse Ned - Grandson Jeffrey Barrett, spouse Becky, son Jake, daughter Cate; - Grandson Todd Barrett and his step-daughter Bri Fountain - Daughter Charlene Brown Schnitzius, her spouse Dan - Grandson Scott Schnitzius, spouse Veronica and daughter Hannah; - Grandson Brent Schnitzius, spouse Kris, son Austin and daughter Fiona - Step-Grandson Robert Cantrell, spouse Andrea, daughter Kathryn and sons Andrew and Ethan - Step-Grandson Kenny Cantrell, spouse Shelley, sons Jordan, Dylan and Cameron - Step-Granddaughter Debra Orta-Thornton, sons Heath Thornton and Emilio Orta

Sparkman Crane Funeral Home