CoGrkKXRI Obituary of William Walter Brown, I (Papa) Bill was born November 15, 1938 in Bessemer, Alabama where he grew up. At an early age he accepted Christ and was baptized at the First Baptist Church in Bessemer. He said that for him, growing up meant that he work after school. His Father, whom he affectionately referred to as “Jake”, gave him a job in the family business - that of working the cash register. Barely able to see over the cash register, he was charged by Jake to “receive the money from the customers and at the end of the evening, it had better tally.” He graduated from Dunbar High School in Bessemer in 1956 and shortly thereafter relocated to LaGrange, Illinois. There he met and adopted as his “home away from home” the McKinnons, Aubrey and Dorothy. In 1962 he enlisted in the United States Air Force. His Air Force career took him all over the States, to Korea, Vietnam and Germany. During the family’s stay at England Air Force Base, Louisiana in 1972, the love of his life, William II, was born. Billy was so tiny at birth that Papa could hold him in the palms of his hands. While stationed at Wiesbaden in Germany, the family got to visit several places including Mannheim, Frankfurt, Mianz, and Austria. Among his decorations and medals are the AF Commendation Medal, AF Good Conduct Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with Battle Stars, AF Outstanding Unit Award, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. Papa retired from Hill Air Force Base in 1981. He was a 32nd Degree Mason, and was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign War and the Disabled American Veterans. Papa seemed happiest when sharing with his grandchildren and rooting for the Chicago Cubs, Bears, and Bulls. The going rate of his wager with Billy, Terry, and Taniya was a penny...unless it was Michael Jordan and the Bulls...then he’d up it to a nickel. Every year he would patiently wait for Dorothy to send him a cap or shirt for either the Bulls or Bears, and Robert to send him some smoked sausage. Before his disability in 1979, William loved to fish and bowl. After his accident, he would lovingly tell the grandchildren to “hush that noise” if they started to cry. When family members sneezed or yawned he'd say “shut your mouth.” His trademark with the home health aides as well as family was a “look that could kill”, especially if he disapproved of what was about to take place, or if he preferred not to eat, do therapy, or talk on the phone. Every summer Papa looked forward to cherries and plums from the trees out back, and fried green tomatoes from the garden. Along with Kit-Kat candy and Chitterlings, those were his favorite things to eat. Of course we can’t forget the Oreo Cookies that the grandchildren fed to him...if Khiala or Sydney left any. This year he had no taste for cherries or plums, cookies or candy, and ate only a couple of slices of fried green tomatoes. He endured a lot this year and was known as “miracle man’ at the VA Hospital. However, after 25 years as a quadriplegic and several additional health problems, he had grown weak and tried. When this world could no longer afford Papa a home, our son, brother, husband, and father passed away on Friday, August 27, 2004 at McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah. He will be laid to rest in Camp Williams Veterans Cemetery in Bluffdale, Utah. C6KDKI