Thomas Lee Brown

The Obituary of Thomas Lee Brown

Thomas Lee Brown, 84, a devoted husband, father, “Pappy,” and friend, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 30, 2026, following a courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was reunited in Heaven with his son Jeremy.

Tom was born on August 25, 1941, in Wichita, Kansas, the fourth child of Emmitt and Frieda Brown, and was affectionately known as the “family mistake.” He was a proud North High Redskin who excelled at tennis and later graduated from Harding College in Searcy, Arkansas with a degree in education. He went on to earn a Master of Science in Education from Wichita State University.

After beginning his teaching career in Wichita, Tom moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where he taught math and science at Harding Academy and eventually rose to the position of math department chairman. Following a brief period working as a civil engineer, he returned to education, spending the next 35 years teaching physics, chemistry, computer science and math at Memphis University School. Though well versed in many subjects, Tom’s greatest focus was always his students. He believed in building meaningful relationships, many of which lasted long after graduation. Tom was very proud of his “former students” and made efforts to stay connected to many of them through the years.

Tom loved his family. While living in Memphis, he met Jeannine Mynatt, whom he married in 1974. In 1981 they welcomed a son, Jeremy Thomas, and in 1984 they were blessed with a beautiful baby girl named Emily Elizabeth. Tom and Jeannine’s family continued to grow when Emily married Matthew Mangano. Tom was especially thrilled to become a grandfather, aka ”Pappy,” to his three grandchildren - Elliott James, Maia Rose, and Mason Thomas Mangano. Tom was heartbroken by the loss of Jeremy in 2023, but remained deeply proud of his family and grandchildren.

Outside the classroom, Tom was happiest working with his hands. He loved woodworking, tackling projects, and helping others. He crafted high quality furniture, made countless beautiful cutting boards which he happily gave away, and was known for his ability to fix just about anything. If he didn’t know how to fix it at first, he would spend many hours thinking about the problem and would eventually figure it out. Much of this happened while he happily “piddled around” in his workshop. He was very handy with tools, amassing quite a collection. He even repaired and restored vintage appliances and classic cars, with the highlight being a Seafoam Green 1966 Chevrolet C10 pickup.

Tom is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Jeannine Brown; daughter Emily Mangano (Matthew); grandchildren Elliott, Maia, and Mason Mangano; brother Orville Brown (Lydia), brother-in-law Lynn Mynatt (Cheryl), and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Emmitt and Frieda Brown, sisters Marge Sheck and Betty Crumrine, and his son Jeremy Thomas Brown.

The family would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Pearl at Fairview, where Tom spent the final four months of his life. He was treated like family - with patience, respect, dignity, and kindness. Their care was a comfort not only to Tom, but also to his wife Jeannine.

A visitation will be held on February 13, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Brentwood Hills Church of Christ, 5120 Franklin Pike, Nashville, TN 37220 where Tom was a longtime member. A Celebration of Life service will follow at 12:00 PM. The service will be livestreamed on the church’s website (https://brentwoodhills.org) and available for viewing for a limited time afterward. 

Parkinson’s disease profoundly shaped the final years of Tom’s life. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his honor to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research or the Peterson Foundation for Parkinson’s.