Walter Rogers Brown, Jr.

Walter Rogers Brown, Jr. passed away in comfort in Durham, North Carolina on September 18 at the age of 83. Born in Shelby County, TN to Ella Mae and Walter Brown in 1942, he graduated from Barret’s Chapel School and went on to earn a BS in Electrical Engineering from Tennessee State University (f.k.a. Agriculture and Industrial University) in 1965. While in Nashville, he met a Fisk student, Jennie Mallette, who became his wife of 61 years.

Walter Brown began his engineering career with a government subcontractor in Albuquerque, NM. He moved again to the Minneapolis area to pursue greater opportunities for his new family. They bought their first home in Minnetonka, MN and continued to live in the Twin Cities for more than 50 years. He was a long-time employee at Honeywell. He also worked at MTS. He had a second career as a freelance technical writer.

Throughout his life, Walter Brown performed a range of community services from blood donation to little league and softball coaching. For several years, he volunteered on behalf of people with developmental disabilities. He enjoyed playing tennis, strategy games, running, walking, reading, and movie going.

He is a proud member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He was also a member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in St. Paul, MN.

In 2020, he moved to his wife’s home state of North Carolina. There, he joined St. Ambrose Episcopal Church in Raleigh.

Walter Brown is survived by his wife, Jennie, children Warren (Janet) and Stephanie Brown, grandsons Joshua and Miles Brown, sister Inez (Lawrence) Harris, and beloved nephews and nieces, including Frechell (Michael) Leachman.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Willard (Carolyn) and Horace (Jo Ann), sister Freddie (James), and dear cousins.

A visitation and funeral service for Walter Brown will take place on Saturday, October 4 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at St. Ambrose Episcopal Church, 813 Darby Street, Raleigh, NC 27610.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Walter Brown’s memory to WNCU 90.7 Jazz Radio at www.WNCU.org.