Jack E. Brown

Midland, Texas - Jack E. Brown, 90, passed away on Aug. 24, 2015, in Midland, Texas.

He was born Aug. 16, 1925, to Dewey and Gracie Mae Friarson Brown in Brownsville, Texas, but grew up with his parents and older brother Bill in San Antonio. Immediately upon graduating from Brackenridge High School in 1942, Mr. Brown went to enlist in the military to fight for his country in World War II, but at the age of 17 he was denied for being too young. Three days after graduating high school, he enrolled at Texas A&M University, "because it was known for being good in engineering and thought I could afford it." After one year at A&M and having reached the age of 18, Mr. Brown enlisted in the U.S. Army, and served for four years. During his service, he was among the first occupation troops in Japan and his last assignment was in Hiroshima where he walked the streets only two weeks after the atomic bomb had been dropped.

In early 1947, Mr. Brown returned to Texas A&M, and in 1950, he graduated with degrees in petroleum and mechanical engineering. It was also in 1950 that he was first introduced to the love of his life, Mary Frances Van Fleet, to whom he proposed on April 1, 1951, and then married on April 15, 1951. At the time of their wedding, Mr. Brown was working as roughneck for a drilling company in Abilene, Texas, but he later worked as an engineer for a company in Alice, Texas, before joining Texaco as an engineer in 1955 to work for two years in Venezuela. In 1957, the Browns returned to Texas where Jack was hired by the J.E. Jones Drilling Co., the place where he met his business partner in life, the late Cyril "Cy" Wagner Jr.

With a handshake on April 1, 1962, Mr. Brown, the late Mr. Wagner, and the late Deane Stoltz, started the privately-held oil and gas exploration and production partnership Stoltz, Wagner & Brown. For nearly 50 years, Mr. Brown (the engineer) and Mr. Wagner (the geologist) combined their complementary talents to build Wagner & Brown, Ltd. to national prominence as an aggressive and successful operator and producer of oil and natural gas in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana, Michigan, Kansas, Wyoming, and Mississippi. The company has also been active in a multitude of diversified businesses, industries, and investments.

Mr. Brown loved his family, thrived on the challenges of business, and enjoyed giving back to the Midland community and to Texas A&M University. The Jack E. Brown Chemical Engineering Building was dedicated on the campus at Texas A&M in 2002, and in 2011, Mr. Brown received the highest honor of the Texas A&M Foundation when he was named recipient of the Sterling Evans Medal. At Midland College, the Jack E. Brown Dining Hall continues to serve students and Mr. Brown served on the Midland College Foundation Board of Directors, in addition to supporting numerous scholarship programs. Mr. Brown, along with the late Mr. Wagner, gave generously over the years to support a wide range of Midland organizations and initiatives and the name Wagner & Brown appears on many facilities across the community. The longtime partners were jointly honored many times including induction into the Petroleum Museum Hall of Fame, being honorees of the 2010 Permian Basin Oil Show, and receiving the Top Hand Award from the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, and the Hope Award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Mr. Brown is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Frances Brown; daughter, Margaret Jeanne "Peggy" Ingram of The Woodlands, Texas; son, Van Michael Brown and his wife, Beth Tillman, of Mystic, and Pat Allen Brown and his wife, Kelly, of Midland. Also surviving Mr. Brown are 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, 2015, at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 3011 West Kansas, Midland, TX 79701.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorials be directed to the charity of the donor's choice.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home and Crematory of Midland.

Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.