Joe was the son of John Albert and Dovie Chastain Brown. He married Margaret Louise (Lucy) Hall on June 03, 1941 in Graham, Texas, They were the parents of Michael James, Linda Louise and Margaret Alice (Peggy).

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Joe was a Presbyterian minister and served churches in El Campo, Port Arthur and Odessa, Texas. He served the First Presbyterian Church of Odessa for twenty-nine years. He retired in 1979.

Services for Dr. Joe M. Brown were held at the First Presbyterian Church in Odessa, Texas. He was raised in the Tonk Valley Community in Young County, Texas.

He was educated at Austin College at Sherman, Texas and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas. Dr. Brown served as Pastor of the First Presbyterian Chruch at El Campo, Texas for two years before entering the Naval Chaplain program where he served three years in the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters of World War II. After returning to the States after his service, He served as pastor of Westminister Presbyterian Chruch in Port Arthur, Texas for five years before being called to First Presbtyterian Church at Odessa, Texas where he served as pastor for 29 years. Under his leadership, the Odessa church great from 250 members to 1115 members. Dr. Brown retired in February 1979 and was elected Pastor Emeritus by a grateful congregation.

Dr. Brown was a member of the Board of Trustee of Austin College, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and Presbyterian Pan-American School. In 1970, he was honored with a Doctor of Divinity degree from Austin College and the outstanding Alumnus Award from Austin Seminary in 1983.

Survived by his wife; one son - Mike Brown; two daughters - Peggy Brown and Linda Hegarty; one grandson; two brothers - A.J. Brown, Tom Brown; four sisters - Mittis Wragg, Ethel Mote, Adele Jeffreys, Ina Mae Scott.

Contributed by Searchers of Our Past