Benjamin Porter Brown
White Sulphur Springs-Benjamin Porter Brown, Jr. went into God’s hands on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2014, at the Genesis Nursing Home in White Sulphur Springs.
Born Apr. 25, 1920, he went to meet his loving wife, Lillian Jackson Brown of Lewisburg; his sister, Eveline Holroyd Meadows of Hinton; and his parents, Benjamin Porter and Zeltha Sowers Brown of Hinton.
Ben is survived by his children, B. Thomas Brown, MD of Ormond Beach, FL, Karen Jackson Bowling of White Sulphur Springs, and by four grandchildren, Elizabeth T. Brown, MD of Nashville, TN, J. Schuyler Brown of Jacksonville, FL, William R. Bowling IV (Judy) of Columbus, IN and Jackson L. Bowling of White Sulphur Springs; his only niece, Sandra Holroyd Campbell of Fredericksburg, VA; and his only grandchild, William R. Bowling V of Columbus, SC.
After graduation from West Virginia University, Ben received his law degree from the Washington and Lee University and initially practiced law in Summersville for almost 30 years and then moved to Parkersburg where he was Chairman of the Board and Chief Trust office of Union Trust National Bank. Shortly after that he moved to Lewisburg where he was a trust officer and retired there in the community that he loved.
Ben was always involved in his community and his beloved West Virginia. He served on the Board of Governors of the WV State Bar. President of several Rotary Clubs in the various cities that he called home. He was active in the Salvation Army, a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Beni Kedem Shrine Temple in Charleston. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge #76 AF & AM in Summersville. He was a member of the Elks Club in Beckley, Charleston, Huntington and Lewisburg.
Always a devout Methodist, Ben served or chaired the administrative boards of several of the churches he attended. He loved being a member of the choir and in his later infirmed years, enjoyed watching the services on television.
Ben was an avid sportsman loving golf, hunting, fishing, and the WV Mountaineers. He lived his life to the fullest and enjoyed the people of West Virginia.
The family would like to thank those many people that made Ben’s later years more enjoyable – from bridge at the Elk’s Club to dinner with friends.
Services were held Monday, Nov. 17, at the Wallace & Wallace Funeral Home in Lewisburg with visitation before the service and a committal service at Greenbrier Memorial Gardens following the service.
In lieu of flowers; the family suggests donations in Ben’s name to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 6931 Arlington Rd, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814 or the charity of your choice.
Please send online condolences by visting www.WallaceandWallaceFH.com.
