C. Brown

Clarence Chester Brown, 83, of 146 Hillbrook Drive, died Friday, October 29, 2010, at his home. Born March 29, 1927 in Spartanburg, he was the son of the late Clarence and Irene Lytle Brown. A graduate of the Citadel in 1948 and the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1953, he was the youngest member elected to the Citadel Board of Visitors in 1957. He was an Attorney at Law in Spartanburg for 48 years, retiring in 2000, and served on the Spartanburg City Council for 25 years having served from 1967 to 1992. He served 21 years as Mayor Pro Tem and also as an Assistant Judge for the City of Spartanburg. After retirement, he served as Municipal Judge for the towns of Chesnee, Cowpens, and Wellford. He was instrumental in the founding of the SAFE Home Network for Battered Wives, now known as the SAFE Homes-Rape Crisis Coalition, where he was Chairman of the Board and served on the Advisory Board until his death. He was a charter member of the Piedmont Sertoma Club and a member of the Spartanburg County and the South Carolina Bar Associations. He was a member of St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, where he was a Lay Reader, and served as Junior and Senior Warden. A U. S. Army veteran of the Korean Conflict Era, he served in the Army Reserves for over 20 years, retiring as a Major. Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Mary Sanders Brown; two daughters, Sally B. Stewart and husband William of Columbia and Bea Brown Neal and husband Craig of Spartanburg; four grandchildren, Ches Stewart, Paul Stewart, Wesley Poplin, and Elizabeth Poplin; a great-grandson, Hayden Poplin; and three step-grandchildren, Matthew Neal, Catelyn Neal, and William Stewart, Jr. He was predeceased by a brother, James Younger Brown. Visitation will be 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 31, 2010 at Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, November 1, 2010 at St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, conducted by the Rev. Joseph K. Smith. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, 400 DuPre Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29307; or to SAFE Homes-Rape Crisis Coalition, 236 Union Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302; or to the Spartanburg Humane Society, 150 Dexter Road, Spartanburg, SC 29303. The family is at the home. Honorary Escort will be members of the Spartanburg County Bar Association and the Piedmont Sertoma Club. Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of C. Chester Brown please visit our Sympathy Store.