Lafayette Brown - Obituary

afayette Brown Jr., better known as Fate Jr. was 91 years old when he departed this life on the morning of January 13, 2014 and entered heaven to begin his new eternal life. He was born on August 22, 1922 to Lafayette Brown Sr. and Lossie Brown in Tarboro, NC . He was the third eldest out of 9 siblings one whom died at birth. Fate Jr. was drafted into the Army and later enlisted into the Air Force. He was in World War II with the prestigious 99th/332 Squadrons of the Tuskegee Airmen. He was stationed in Burma India during the war. GOD has had HIS hand on him through many situations. While flying during the war his plane lost an engine but they were able to land safely. Amongst other trials and tribulations he suffered from Malaria and was unconscious for two weeks and GOD had His Hand on him as well then too. One of his distinguished military positions included being an official driver to our First African American Lt. Col. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., and the Col. actually gave Fate his cover (hat) after he was promoted. He also worked on the flight line as a mechanic for the Red Tail Planes that were flown during World War II. After the war in 1945 he moved to Columbus Ohio where he met Ruth Virginia Brown and married her on July 9, 1949. This union lasted 52 years when Ruth passed on January 11, 2001. Their union produced two children Sharon Lafaye Brown born outside of Sacramento, CA and Andrea Yvette Brown (Peterson) born in Anchorage, Alaska. The entire family drove from Anchorage Alaska to District Heights, MD which took two weeks to arrive. Fate retired in 1968 in Maryland. After retiring from the military he began another career with Garfinkles as a Shipping Manager. He worked there for 20 years and only missed a total of two weeks of work out of those 20 years. He loved his job. After a year in District Heights and wanting to be closer to the base, he moved the family to Camp Springs right across the street from Andrews Air Force Base and remained there for 40 years. Fate was a provider, protector, a wonderful husband, a loving father and a fun loving grand and great grandfather. He loved his family and believed in attending family reunions yearly. He would have cookouts and the entire neighborhood was welcome. He loved to stand for hours grilling for family and friends. He also loved working on cars, going to the Horse Races at Rosecroft, golfing, drawing and reading the newspaper every evening after work. After retiring from Garfinkles in 1998 he made himself available to take people on personal errands if they needed a ride to the hospital or grocery store….everybody loved Mr. Brown. Fate Jr. was blessed to participate on March 29, 2007, with the Tuskegee Airmen, as a group, each being awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by President George W. Bush and the U.S. Congress in a ceremony inside the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. The 300 airmen and widows, who attended the ceremony, received the recognition for all the estimated 16-19,000 participants of the “Tuskegee Experiment”. After the passing of his loving wife Ruth he lived alone until he was 87 and his health started to change and his daughters Sharon and Andrea moved him in with them and took great care of him until the second he passed. He is survived by two sisters: Bessie Lawrence (husband Charlie Lawrence) of Tarboro, NC and Ester Harrell of Virginia; three daughters: Sharon Lafaye Brown and Andrea Yvette Peterson of Fort Washington, MD and Ranelle Brown of Columbus, OH; four grandchildren: Rowemell Antonio McLean of Atlanta, GA and JoVaughn Marcel Brown of Fort Washington, MD; Levita and Rotanda Brown of Columbus, OH: seven great grandchildren: KeAsia Alexis McLean, London Amor McLean, Aliyah Dior Woodard, Serenity Ray, Rowemell Antonio McLean Jr. (RJ) Mason McLean, Brooklyn Brown, and a host of many nieces, nephews and cousins. Relatives and friends are invited to SSgt. Brown's Life Celebration on Thursday, February 6, 2014 from 10am until time of service at 11am at River of Life Church, 3106 Branch Ave., Temple Hills, MD 20748(301) 894-8000. Burial will follow at 2pm at Arlington National Cemetery with Military Honors. Please leave your thoughts and memories by signing the guestbook located below.