SPRUCE PINE, N.C. — James O. “Jim” Brown, 87, of Wildwood, FL, Beckley, WV, Spruce Pine, NC and Oceana, WV, died peacefully on Jan 26, 2022, at North Georgia Medical Center, in Gainesville, GA.
He was born on July 5, 1934, in Lorado, WV to Hugh and Nannie Spears Brown Walker.
He was married to Augustene Acord Brown for 63 years and was the father of two sons. James William “Jimmy” Brown, deceased, of Spruce Pine, NC and Robert Shannon “Bob” Brown of Cleveland, GA.
Jim attended High School at Oceana and Pineville, WV High Schools. He attended college at Concord College in Athens, WV. Jim served in The Marine Corp from 1955 to 1959 and worked in the finance and banking industry for many years, retiring from Sun Bank in Leesburg, FL in 1996.
Jim was an avid aviation enthusiast. He learned to fly at the age of 15 and continued until his illness grounded him in 2011. After retirement he and his wife, Augustene, built two aircraft. A Europa Monowheel XS, which they flew from Orlando, FL to Everett, WA, as representatives of the Europa Aircraft Company, and a Van’s Aircraft RV-7A for their son Bob.
Along with his wife and son, he leaves two cherished granddaughters, Kara Lauren Brown, and Hannah Jane Brown Blanton, Daughter in Law, Dru Ellen Pruitt Brown, as well as two great grandchildren, Oakley Blanton and Vayda Blanton all of Spruce Pine, NC. A stepsister, Jean Walker Lusk of Oceana, WV as well as many, many friends throughout the eastern US.