Brian Basil Brown

Brian Basil Brown died in his home on December 10, 2023 after a long and heroic battle with cancer. He was 68 years old. Brian was born June 28, 1955 in New Orleans, Louisiana to the late Samuel Joseph Brown and Camille Trumbaturi Brown. He grew up in Gentilly, LA as the youngest of four children and loved to play ball. He never let anyone forget about his ‘Mister Biddy’ basketball accolades as a kid. He went on to play basketball and football at Brother Martin High School where he won the 1971 State Football Championship. Sports were a huge part of who he was, and he carried that love into watching his kids play later in his life.

After and during his college years, Brian learned carpentry from his dad—the late, great Joe Brown—and cultivated what he learned into a successful 40 year career. Brian was most widely known in his professional career as a respected residential contractor in Mandeville, LA. “BB” was beloved by his subs who stayed loyal to him for decades. He continued to build homes well past his cancer diagnosis and bragged that ‘I could build a house in my sleep!’ His mark remains throughout Mandeville in the form of the hundreds of houses he built in the area.

Brian’s love for his children, Matt and Rachel, was unmatched, and their love for him was equally returned. They shared enough memories and laughs to fill multiple lifetimes. He loved to watch his children compete in sports throughout their childhood as he continued to live his state championship football days vicariously through them. They loved to water ski on the weekends and spent winter vacations skiing in Colorado. Skiiing was hands down their favorite thing to do as a family.

Brian was beloved by his fiancee, Suzanne Miller. Brian and Sam’s love ran as deep as their friendship. They loved spending time at their place on the beach, boiling seafood, and traveling to spend time with friends. The time they cherished the most was on Sundays watching football. They shared this special weekly ritual up until the end of his life.

Brian is survived by his son Matthew Brown and his wife Ashlee (Savannah 25, Brady 17, Layla 15, Ava 13, Eli 12), his daughter Rachel Delaney and her husband Mike (Caroline 4, Rosie 2), and his fiancee Suzanne Miller and her children Kristopher (Kaden 16), Kellis, and Hannah (Halle 3 months). He is also survived by his brother Greg Brown and sister Pam Hinton. He is preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Camille Brown, and his eldest brother, Sam Brown.

The family would like to thank Dr. Scott Delacroix of LSU Medicine and Dr. Oliver Sartor of Tulane Medicine and their staff for their incredible care, both professionally and personally, over the last 5 1/2 years.

Friends are cordially invited to gather with the family at Brian’s services on Friday, December 29th at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Mandeville. Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. with a funeral mass to follow at 11 a.m.