Charles E. Brown

Charles E. Brown, Sr, affectionately known as “Bunny” or “Charlie Brown” of Jacksonville, NC was born on November 24, 1939, to the late Lee E. Brown, Sr and Venezuela Brown in South Norfolk County Virginia in the area known as Crestwood. He was the 3rd child of 12 siblings, one of whom died at birth. Charles passed away on February 7, 2023, in Woodbury Wellness Center, Hampstead, NC.

Charles and his siblings were raised in a God-fearing home with loving parents. He had a good friend also named Lil Bunny and when you saw one you saw the other. They were known as the pranksters in their community.

Charles left high school at a young age and enlisted in the Airborne division of the Army as a Paratrooper. This was only after his parents sought Gods direction and prayed for the safety of all their enlisted children, which God honored. He loved telling animated stories about jumping from airplanes to anyone who would listen.

While stationed in North Carolina he met and fell in love with the late Renolia Hunter. Soon after they ran off to get married in Virginia. Charles relocated his family to the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia and remained there for the better part of his life. He was known to stand up for people and especially the seniors in his community. Charles was awarded a Meritorious Award from the City of Philadelphia for intervening and aiding a woman who was being attacked on a Septa bus route.

He was a truck driver for Abbotts Dairy for a number of years and had other jobs as well. He loved to drive his cars back and forth to Virginia to visit his family and friends often.

Charles later joined Vine Memorial Baptist Church. He served as a Sunday Teacher and also drove the church van to pick up parishioners.

Over the years, Charles later met and married the late Renie Speight.

Later in life as his health began to deteriorate Charles was hijacked from the VA hospital in Philadelphia and sent to live with his son Curtis and late daughter-in-law Arbana in Jacksonville NC. He remained in NC for the remainder of his life but Virginia was always in his heart. When you left out of his presence or talked to him on the phone he would always say, “Never say good-bye, always say “see you later”. And for those of us who have accepted Christ as our Savior – we will see him later.

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