It is with both great sadness and great hope that we announce the passing of Claude Eugene Brown Jr., “Butch,” of Maben, Mississippi. He passed away on September 22, 2024, at the age of 83, at his home, surrounded by his family. He was 83 years old.
Butch is survived by his daughter, Shelly (Russ) Huddleston of Maben, MS; three granddaughters, Tiffany (Zach) Slaughter, Hannah Huddleston, and Grace (Landen) Rogers; two great-grandsons Shepard and Miller Slaughter; stepchildren, Kari (Brian) Foxworth of Pensacola, FL, Chad (Brooke) Henderson of Pensacola, FL; sisters Connie Greer, Debbie Kornegay, and Joyce Pate; a host of nieces and nephews; and his very special friend, Ann Walls.
He is preceded in death by his wife Donna Henderson; mother, Vivian Brown; father, Claude Eugene Brown Sr.; and brothers, Jim and Edwin Brown.
Butch was born on October 6, 1942. He grew up a “military brat” and lived all over the world as a young child. He spent most of his high school years excelling in football and baseball at McLean High School, where he graduated as a member of the Class of 1961. Butch was a proud veteran of the U.S. Army. He valued this service highly and attained the rank of Sargeant. He served his country as a Military Police from 1967-1973. Following his service in the military, Butch worked in the trucking industry. He served over 25 years as the Terminal Manager of Morgan Southern Trucking Company in Memphis, TN, until his retirement in 2014.
Butch moved back to Maben in 2014 to enjoy retirement near his daughter and granddaughters. He was a loving father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend to many. He was a competitor in many aspects of life. He loved to compete in local bowling leagues, a hobby he inherited from his parents. He valued time spent with his special friend, Ann. They enjoyed watching Mississippi State sports together, and they could often be found sitting on his porch watching Purple Martins fly in and out of his Martin Houses. He had a green thumb, and he took pride in displaying beautiful flowers throughout his wrap-around porch. Butch was also known to be a good dancer “back in his day,” as he would say with his famous grin. He often reflected fondly on memories of himself and his daughter, Shelly, “2-stepping” at honky tonks from his time spent living in Texas. Those who knew Butch, knew he had a great love for fishing, Alan Jackson, the Houston Astros, and a bowl of Blue Bell ice cream. Butch was a great cook, and he enjoyed cooking meals and baking cakes for loved ones. He loved the Lord and served as an active member of First Baptist Church Maben; he particularly valued his friendships with the men in his Sunday school class. He was also an active member of the Double Springs Masonic Lodge of Mathiston, MS where he was a Master Mason and a 32nd degree Shriner.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, September 24, 2024 from 1:00pm- 2:00pm at First Baptist Church Maben in Maben, MS. A memorial service to celebrate Butch’s life will follow visitation.
The family would like to extend a special thanks and appreciation to the staff of Legacy Hospice for all of the care rendered to our beloved Butch.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the building fund at First Baptist Church Maben or St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
