Nicholas Brown Jr.

Nicholas J. Brown Jr. PORTSMOUTH - Nicholas J. Brown Jr., 80, passed into eternal life, Sept. 8, 2008, in a local hospital surrounded by his family after a brief illness. He was a resident of Portsmouth for 55 years. He was born in Smithfield, Va., to the late Nicholas J. Brown Sr. and Annie Beaton Brown. He was predeceased by his wife of 30 years, Ruby Arlene Thomas, formerly of Surry County and his brother, Robert Randall Brown, formerly of Smithfield. After graduation from Smithfield High School in 1946, Nick enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a military policeman in Tokyo, Japan from 1946-1948. After his discharge, he was a deputy sheriff in Smithfield and meat manager with A&P Tea Company and then a life underwriter with Home Beneficial Insurance Company, where he retired after 29 years. Nick spent a lifetime devoted to church and community service - he was a Scout master of Troop 225 in Portsmouth, vice chairman of Merrimac District, Boy Scouts, president of Westhaven and Wilson Little leagues, president of Westhaven PTA, vice president of I.C. Norcom PTA, member of Portsmouth School Board and the Portsmouth Naval Museum Board, chairman of Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Commission for 10 years and was very involved in local and state politics for 20 years. He was also a member of Western Branch Masonic Lodge, president of Virgilia Funk Unit of the National Association of Parliamentarians, a parliamentarian of several local organizations, chairman of HER Shelter, member of Temple Baptist Church in Chesapeake, former member of West End United Methodist Church in Portsmouth, member of Gideons International and active in their jail and prison ministry in Portsmouth. He was recognized in 1978 as the Outstanding Volunteer of Leisure Services for the City of Portsmouth and in 1981 as the Outstanding Volunteer by the Virginia State Parks and Recreation Society. While working at the Smithfield A&P Store in 1950, he met Ruby, and they were married Aug. 26, 1951. Through this union, six children are left to cherish his memory: his two sons, Nicholas J. Brown III and wife Jo Lynn and Richard C. Brown and wife Kelly of Chesapeake; and four daughters, Kay Volz and husband Rick of Chesapeake, Linda North and husband Jeff of Ruckersville, Va., Donna Melicher and husband Paul of Fargo, N.D., and Carolyn Duke and husband Kenny of Suffolk; 14 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; and his sister, Anne Delk of Smithfield. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at Snellings Funeral Home, Churchland Chapel. A celebration of his life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in Temple Baptist Church, 1322 N. George Washington Highway, Chesapeake, conducted by Pastor Jerry Greco with the graveside service at Mill Swamp Baptist Church Cemetery, Isle of Wight County, conducted by Pastor Rick Geoghegan. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Gideons International, Portsmouth Camp, P.O. Box 61, Portsmouth, VA 23705 or Good News Jail and Prison Ministry, Hampton Roads Regional Jail, 2690 Elmhurst Lane, Portsmouth, VA 23701.