Charles Willis Brown Jr.

Charles Willis Brown, Jr.
'Charlie'
Mr. Brown, age 71, of Mooresville, formerly of Charlotte, died Sunday, October 11, 2009 after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer. He was a southern gentleman, consummate salesman and charming to the core. He was Charlie Brown, known as 'CB' to close friends.
Charlie was born on January 1, 1938 in New Orleans, LA. Spending his early childhood there, he moved with his family to Charlotte, NC in 1946. He spent his teenage years in 'Hardeeville' on Selwyn Ave., graduating from Myers Park High School in 1956. After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1960, he served in the United States Navy for two years. Then Charlie joined the family business, Charles W. Brown, Company, confectionery brokers with his father, Charles Willis Brown, Sr. and his brother-in-law, Dudley Crook. He became known as 'the candy man.' He was a member of the National Confectionery Salesmen's Association, the Southern Salesmen's Candy Club, and the Carolina Confectionery Salesmen's Club, where he worked his way up and later served as President. He won many sales awards. In 1978 he was named Southern Candy Knight by the Southern Tobacco & Candy Association. As the industry changed, Charlie applied his expert sales and management skills to other product-lines, working with Insight Unlimited educational products and then the AMS Computer Store. In the mid-eighties, he put to use his NC Realtor's and Broker's licenses in sales, management and training for Flouhouse/Coldwell Banker, and CENTURY 21 Hecht Realty. Charlie moved to the Lake Norman area in 1987 were he was President of Applied Human Resources, Inc., providing marketing consulting and sales training for over 200 businesses.
Charlie was a man blessed with many gifts, talents and interests. He enjoyed encouraging others and helping young people. He served on the Vestry of St. John's Episcopal Church in the late 1960's as the Superintendent in charge of Sunday School and for a time as a substitute teacher for Iredell County Schools. Charlie was a renaissance man of sorts, as comfortable in a pair of jeans as a tuxedo. His taste for adventure is evidenced by his love of sailing, boating, snow skiing, scuba diving and flying. One of Charlie's gifts was writing. In 2002, his book, The Power of Positive Pessimism by Charlie Brown, was published. The International Society of Poets honored him with the 2005 Outstanding Achievement in Poetry Award. He was an avid reader, history buff and college football fanatic. He loved a stimulating debate over a good Cohiba and single malt scotch with friends. He was an expert dancer with his dance card always full, especially at the Society of Stranders conventions at North Myrtle Beach. Charlie was a loving father and exemplary grandfather, attending college football games with his grandson and boating with his granddaughter.
His family acknowledges with deep gratitude the friends and caregivers who loved his endearing smile, warm spirit and keen sense of humor, especially Dr. Timothy Kuo, Dr. Marc Weaver, Dr. John Barkley and all the doctors, nurses and staff at the Levine & Dickson Hospice House, Hospice and Palliative Care of Iredell County, the Lake Norman Regional Medical Center and the clergy, staff and parishioners of Christ Episcopal Church.
Charlie was preceded in death on December 8, 2006 by his son, Charles Willis Brown, III and on March 17, 1977 by his nephew Kyle Dudley Crook. Surviving are his daughter, Charlotte Ferebee and her husband, Chris, grandson, Christopher Ferebee, granddaughter, Collins Ferebee, all of Charlotte, his sister, AC Crook of Sausalito, CA and his nephew, Rand Crook of Tiburon, CA.
A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, October, 17, 2009 at Christ Episcopal Church on 1412 Providence Road, Charlotte. The Reverend Lisa Saunders will officiate. The family will receive friends following the service in the Blue Room at Christ Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Levine & Dickson Hospice House, 11900 Vanstory Drive, Huntersville, NC 28078 or to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, www.pancan.org.
To leave an online condolence, visit www.tallentfuneralservice.com.
J.B. Tallent Funeral Service is serving the family of Mr. Brown.