Linda Brown
Linda L. Patchett Brown passed away at the age of 76 on July 29, 2018, at her home in Oak Ridge after a long 10-year fight against metastatic breast cancer. She never gave up, but finally lost the fight.
She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Walter K. Brown; two sons, David Walter Brown and wife Amy Jean and their children, Tanner, Savannah, and Sierra, and Roger Kermit Brown and children, Elias and Gabriel; and her favorite dog, “Sugar,” who went to work every day with her.
She is also survived by sister, Patricia Garver and husband Billy and their children, Jason and Angie; brother, Larry Kermit Patchett and wife Mary Lou and their son, Lance, and several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and their families in Casey, Illinois.
Linda was raised in Casey, Illinois, by parents Kermit and Eileen Patchett, who are both deceased.
Linda has always been very active in the Oak Ridge community. Whatever she did, she was always helping people.
Early in her career, she worked at the Oak Ridge Mental Health Center as a volunteer helping patients with crafts and other activities. She had to quit because she lacked a college degree. During that time she learned to do ceramics and she was very good at painting. She then started doing ceramic crafts, which led to opening Linda’s Ceramic Corner, which grew into a large full-time business located in Grove Center.
During that time, she became interested in building and selling houses. As a result, she obtained her real estate license, which led to her starting her own real estate company, Linda Brown Realty. Linda’s passion was helping people. It didn’t matter who they were or what they wanted to do, she helped them. She owned and operated Linda Brown Realty, in Oak Ridge, for 36 years.
She served as president of the Anderson County Board of Realtors for two years. Linda was very active in the Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary and was the second woman admitted to that club. She served as president and began the Angel Tree Program of giving Christmas gifts and food to underprivileged children, serving up to 110 families each Christmas. Rotary International named her a Paul Harris Fellow for several years for contributions to the community. She was recognized for 30 years’ service by the Rotary Heritage and History International Hall of Fame. The Rotary Club created the Linda Brown Angel Award in her honor to be awarded each year to a community volunteer. She was recognized by the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce in 2017 and received the Eugene L. Joyce Lifetime Achievement Award. She adopted Linden Elementary School as a Partner in Education for over 30 years. Linda also served on the Oak Ridge Planning Commission for several years and had a front page feature article about her written in the Oak Ridge Neighbors magazine, which was distributed to the residents. She was a long-time contributor and sponsor of the Oak Ridge Boys and Girls Club and had an annual award named after her for the contributions to the club. She was a long-time contributor to the Oak Ridge High School football and girls basketball programs.
A private funeral service was held on Tuesday, July 31, 2018, at Weatherford Mortuary with Rev. Troy Forrester officiating. A funeral service will also be held in Casey, Illinois, and Linda will be buried in a family plot near her hometown.
A very special thanks to Jerry Echols for her constant care during Linda’s final days and to the staff nurses of Amedisys Hospice. An online guest book can be signed at www.weatherfordmortuary.com.
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