Eleanor Durall Brown Moore

Eleanor Durall Brown Moore, known affectionately to all simply as "Ellie," lost her fourth and final battle to cancer, at the age of 84. She died peacefully surrounded by her children and grandchildren, December 7, 2024.
Ellie was born in Central City, Kentucky on February 11, 1940 to James Wilburn Durall and Nova Elnora Nicholson Durall. She was the middle child between two brothers, James Robert Durall and Thomas Franklin Durall.
Ellie loved growing up in Muhlenberg County and talked often about the virtues of being from a small town, where personal relationships were valued above all else and family, friends, and faith were community anchors.
Ellie attended Central City High School where she became a majorette and captain of the cheerleading team cheering for the Golden Tide, one of Kentucky's storied high school basketball programs. Ellie graduated high school in three years and was voted "Most Attractive" and "Most Athletic." She was inducted into the Muhlenberg County Athletic Hall of Fame in 2024.
After graduating from the University of Kentucky, Ellie married John Y. Brown, Jr and they had three children, John Y Brown III, Eleanor Faris Brown, and Sandra Bennett Brown. Just three years after marrying, Ellie helped John Y find an investor to purchase Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), and over the next eight years KFC grew to the largest fast-food chain in the world. John Y continued his entrepreneurial efforts in the food industry, owning Lum's and Ollie's Trolley, and Ellie took on board and leadership positions with Actors Theatre, YMCA, Junior League, and the Younger Women's Club.
In the summer of 1973, Ellie became the nation's first female owner of a professional basketball team, the Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association (ABA), at the young age of 33.
Female leadership in professional sports was all but unheard of at the time, but Ellie faced those social and cultural challenges with grace and charm and immediately won over critics simply by outworking and outperforming the men who preceded her. At the press conference announcing her new role she was asked, "Mrs. Brown, what do you know about professional basketball?" Ellie calmly smiled and responded, "I suppose about as much as my husband knew about frying chicken when he took over Kentucky Fried Chicken."
Ellie hired an all-female board of directors, and this team of women leaders broke ticket sales records their first season. The following year the Kentucky Colonels won the ABA championship and challenged the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors to a single game World Championship which Golden State declined.
The 1975 Kentucky Colonels brought our community and state together and included four future hall of famers: Dan Issel, Artis Gilmore, Louie Dampier, and coach Hubie Brown
Ellie was named Kentucky's Woman of the Year in 1973 and in 1998 she and John Y were jointly inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2024, Ellie and John Y were honored with a Hometown Hero banner in downtown Louisville for their positive contribution to the city of Louisville.
Despite Ellie's historic public accomplishments, the photos and memorabilia that decorated Ellie's home were only pictures of her family and images of special times together with her three children and nine grandchildren.
Publicly, Ellie may be remembered as a trailblazing pioneer for women in sports and business. But privately, the only titles Ellie ever really aspired to were simply "Mom" and "Grandmommy."
In the final few days of her life, Ellie met privately with each grandchild sharing how proud she was and how much she loved them. And, of course, there was some life advice and guidance sprinkled in for each as well.
Nothing mattered more to Ellie than the three children and nine grandchildren who survived her: Former secretary of state, John Y Brown, III (Rebecca), kindergarten teacher, Sissy Brown, and real estate developer, Sandy Steier (Tony), and nine grandchildren, John Y Brown IV, Maggie Brown, Meg Talley, Will Talley, Eleanor Steier, Colson Steier, Lindo Mfeka, Grace Steier, and Brooks Steier.
Her Memorial Service will be 11 AM Wednesday December 11, 2024 at Second Presbyterian Church 3701 Old Brownsboro Road.
Visitation 12 PM – 3 PM Wednesday at Louisville Country Club 25 Mockingbird Valley Trail. Arrangements under the direction of Pearson's
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to:
Volunteers of America, 570 South Fourth Street Louisville, KY 40202. Voamid.org