Rudolph A. Brown Jr. Obituary (1931 - 2022)

Rudolph A. Brown, Jr. September 5, 1931- November 7, 2022 Rudolph (Rudy) A. Brown, Jr., 91 of Atlanta, Georgia passed away peacefully on November 7, 2022. Rudy was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He was preceded in death by his parents Rudy and Hazel Brown and by his wife Janice. He is survived by his sister Barbara Brown May of Orlando, Florida; three children and their spouses, Tony Brown (Lisa) of Gainesville, Georgia, Nancy Strandberg (Gregg) of Boca Raton, Florida, Barbara Brown Hedrick of Fairview, North Carolina, and his first wife Lettie Jensen Brown of Athens, Georgia; seven grandchildren and their spouses Amanda Brown, Pete Brown, Blake Hedrick (Emily), Lauren Ware (Matt), Paige Wimmer (Trey), Cole Strandberg (Belle) and Jensen Strandberg Keusch (Ben); and five great-grandchildren. Rudy was a fifth-generation resident of Atlanta, Georgia. He attended Henry Grady High School, and he graduated with the Class of 1950. While at Grady High School he participated in Junior ROTC. He attended Georgia Tech from 1950-1954, where he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering. While at Georgia Tech, Rudy was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. After graduation, Rudy served two years of active duty in the U.S. Navy. After his service, he worked for GE in Ohio and returned to Georgia Tech in 1958 to obtain his Master of Science degree in Industrial Management. Throughout his undergraduate and post-graduate studies, Rudy served as a member of the U.S. Navy Reserve until 1964. He finished his duty as Second in Command of Ship (Lt., USNR). He began his professional career at the American Furnace Company in St. Louis, Missouri in 1959 and transferred back to Atlanta with them in 1961. In 1964 Rudy began his career with Kingsberry Homes of Boise Cascade in Montgomery, Alabama. He was Regional Sales Manager in Columbus, Ohio, and in 1969 was promoted to General Sales Manager in the Atlanta office. His time at Boise Cascade saw much success as he worked up the ranks to Director of Marketing and then as General Manager responsible for 80 sales regions and 8 manufacturing plants in the Eastern half of the U.S. Rudy retired from Boise Cascade in 1979 and began his dream job of being a home builder. He was President of Rudy A Brown Inc. and a Director of the Georgia Home Builder's Association (1996-2000). One of his greatest joys was partnering with his son Tony Brown, who continues his legacy in the home-building business today. Rudy and his first wife Lettie raised their children in Dunwoody, Georgia. In retirement, he enjoyed living in Deland, Florida, The Reserve at Lake Keowee, Darien, Brunswick, and St. Simons, Georgia with his second wife Janice. Rudy loved to golf; he was a long-time member of the Atlanta Athletic Club and the Sea Palms Country Club in St. Simons. His other passions were hunting and fishing, where he spent time outdoors with son Tony, nephew Alan, brother-in-law Pete, and grandson Pete. His love for his Alma Mater Georgia Tech was very apparent; he wore his Georgia Tech hat and shirts with pride even though he was surrounded by University of Georgia fans and family. He was the sole Georgia Tech graduate in a family of UGA graduates including his sister, his first wife, his three children and their spouses. He loved to laugh and especially enjoyed practical jokes and he taught many young visitors the joys of snipe hunting. The family would like to thank the staff at The Gardens of Gainesville and The Mann House in Cumming, Georgia for the care and compassion they bestowed upon Rudy in his final years of life. Visitation will be held Sunday, November 27 from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm at McDonald and Son Funeral Home, Cumming, Georgia. The Celebration of Life will be held Monday, November 28 at 12:-00 pm at Gainesville First United Methodist Church in The Chapel, Gainesville, Georgia. The Burial Service will be on Tuesday, November 29th at 12:30 pm at The Georgia National Cemetery in Canton Georgia. In lieu of flowers please cheer on the Georgia Tech Football team, or the family kindly requests donations be made to Wounded Warrior Project or the Sigma Chi Foundation Foundation - Sigma Chi. Condolences may be expressed at www.mcdonaldandson.com. Arrangements by McDonald and Son Funeral Home, 150 Sawnee Drive, Cumming, GA 30040 (770) 886.9899