Donald Eugene Brown, Sr.

Donald Eugene Brown, Sr (“Gene”) of Dallas, Texas passed away peacefully on December 31, 2023.

Gene was born on September 29, 1932 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, the youngest son of Oakley Ray and Sarah Katherine (Cequin) Brown. He loved sports growing up, playing football and basketball at Louisville Male High School, where he graduated in 1950. He began his college education at the University of Kentucky in 1950, transferring in 1951 to the University of Oklahoma where he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, the OU varsity basketball team, and the military ROTC program. He graduated in 1954 with a Bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering.

In 1955, Gene joined the United States Air Force serving at Wright-Patterson Air Force base in Dayton, Ohio from 1955 to 1957. As a First Lieutenant in the USAF, he was a pilot and navigator flying on some of the first B-52 aircraft put into operation by the military. Several years after leaving active duty, he was promoted to the rank of Captain in 1962 and honorably discharged from the USAF in 1968.

During his Air Force service in 1956, he met Janice Rademacher on a blind date in Long Island, New York. It was love at first sight, and after a brief courtship they were married in 1957 in Roslyn, New York.

In 1957, Gene began his petroleum engineering career with Magnolia/Mobil Oil and he and Janice moved to Lake Charles, Louisiana. They later moved to the Lake Highlands area of Dallas, Texas where Gene started his own oil and gas business, and where Gene and Janice raised their family and lived the remainder of their lives.

Gene was an active member of Lake Highlands United Methodist Church where he served on the Board of Trustees. Gene was also a member of the Petroleum Engineers Society and American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers.

Gene and Janice had the opportunity to travel to Europe and across the United States, spending much of their leisure time in their beloved Breckenridge, Colorado, which has now become a favorite for their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Gene is survived by his daughters Diana Brown French of Dallas, TX, and Karen Brown Morgan (Jeff) of Dallas, TX; and sons Don Brown (Shara) of Sedona, AZ, and Paul Brown (Gabriela) of Southlake, TX. He was a devoted Grandad to Michael, Christy (Thomas), Matthew, Catherine (Thomas), Christopher, Austin (Ashley), Allison, Isabella, Sofia, Cameron, and Alexa; and great grandfather to Mackenzie, Brooke and Harper. He was preceded in death by wife Janice, parents Oakley and Sarah, and brothers Oakley Jr and David.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Lake Highlands United Methodist Church at 11:00am on Monday, January 22, 2024, followed by a military honor service at 2:30pm at DFW National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the United Methodist Women International Mission Fund at uwfaith.org or Canine Companions at canine.org.

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