William Leighton Brown

Faye, Alice and all, I am so very sorry to hear about Bill. He was such a great guy and as his memorial said, he had a fabulous sense of humor. My heart hurts for all of us who loved him.

Fay, Susan and I just heard of Bill's passing, and words can not adequately express how sorry we are. He truly was a kind and generous friend for many years. He will be greatly missed by all. Our prayers are with you as you continue to grieve your loss. Larry and Susan Hunnicutt

I grew up with Bill and our neighborhood bicycle gang starting in those elementary school years. He was one of those few best friends you have in your life that forever changes you and always occupies a big space in your treasured memories. It’s hard to imagine growing up in our little neighborhood group of kids without Bill. In those summer months of Elementary and Junior High School, we had those Normal Rockwell summer months, leaving our homes in the morning barefoot, and spending all day playing baseball, football, building forts, or some other adventure all day. Bill was the stable one in our group that helped keep us pointed North when most of us were determined to go the wrong way, yet he had had a mischievous side full of humor and fun. Bill was one of the few in our group that always seemed to know where he was going. While most of us were sputtering and weaving as we grew up, Bill always seemed to steadily be moving forward. Even when Bill and our neighborhood gang went separate ways after high school, we always found a way to get together during visits back home during college and later. For me, visiting with Bill again was always like stepping back onto solid rock after trying to walk on soft sand. While I was off struggling with different things, visiting back home with Bill was always a subtle positive reminder of the need to refocus. These short trips home would be like seeing snapshots of how it needed to be done. I watched his steady success with his jobs after college, becoming a CPA, and later a partner in his own firm. Bill was always encouraging, and seemed to see the best side of all of us. While it took me a few extra trips around the block, I have no doubt that Bill is one of the reasons that I eventually settled down, and yes, became a CPA as well like Bill. In addition to his many talents, Bill was also a sailor, and owned his own boat that he sailed at Hartwell for years. His last sailing trip however was on a 52 foot chartered boat down on the east coast, and I was privileged to be with him on that last voyage. While he was already suffering dearly from Parkinson’s at that point, he still retained that sailor’s touch even then, knowing that slight adjustment needed at the helm to keep the wind fully in the sails and pointed the right direction. Looking back, I now see that was one of Bill’s gifts in life was knowing how to keep the sails full for not only himself, but also for those lives like mine that he truly changed. Thank you Bill for being there.

I am so so sorry to learn of Bill’s passing. I grew up with him in church and all through school. He was a wonderful guy with a dry sense of humor. He was a true gentleman. He will be missed by all who knew him.

Thinking of you all and wishnig you God's peace.

So sorry for the loss of a great man. He will be truly missed. Prayers for his family and friends.

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.