Leslie E. Browder

1930 - 2024

Leslie E Browder

August 31, 1930 - January 6, 2024

Holly Springs, North Carolina - Leslie E. Browder of Holly Springs, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on January 6, 2024. He was 93.

Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi to B.R. Browder and Era Z. Sewell Browder, Les grew up in Winston-Salem, NC and lived most of his life there. He graduated from RJ Reynolds High School in 1948 where he was a letterman in football. After high school, he attended Duke University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1952 followed by a law degree from Wake Forest University Law School in 1954. He was admitted into the North Carolina Bar Association in 1954 and remained an active attorney until 2022, an incredible 68 years.

After a short stint in private practice, in 1956, he joined Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge and Rice law firm in Winston-Salem (now Womble, Bond, Dickinson) where he worked for more than 50 years until his retirement. He was named the seventh partner of the firm in 1963 and led the real estate department for several decades including a stint on the firm's Management Committee. Les helped guide the explosive growth of the firm in the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s culminating in the firm growing to more than 1000 attorneys today. He was proud of being named one of America's Best Lawyers for 32 consecutive years from the publication's inaugural year in 1983 until 2015. While a very private person, he had many friends and deeply cherished the life long relationships he established while practicing law.

Les was proud of his association with Wake Forest University, representing the school in matters large and small for decades, including a time as General Counsel and later as an adjunct professor in the law school. He represented the school in the acquisition of land for the university, its Bowman Gray School of Medicine and North Carolina Baptist Hospital. In addition, he served as General Counsel for Piedmont Federal Savings Bank for 28 years and as Counsel Emeritus for an additional 8 years.

Les loved the outdoors, the beach and the mountains. He was always fascinated with the weather and followed it closely while spending hours building trails, maintaining his getaway North Carolina mountain cabin, mowing and lopping. In addition, he loved cars and was a huge Wake Forest sports fan. One of his greatest passions was giving quietly to organizations that he loved as evidenced by his financial commitment to Saint Francis United Methodist Church in Cary, NC, The International Children's Fund to which he gave annually for 44 years from 1978-2022, and the Arbor Day Foundation given his love of nature and trees.

Les is survived by his wife, Lala Browder, with whom he shared the last 20+ years of his life. She was his loving, caring partner throughout their time together. He is also survived by his children, Leslie Lynn of Gulf Shores, Alabama and Chris Browder (Holly) of Mattituck, New York along with an extended loving family including five step-children - Mary McDonald, Stacy Wall (Anne), Lee Wall, Matthew Compton (Stephanie), Clay Compton (Karla); six grandchildren - Kristen Brewer (Greg), Apryl Evans (Tim), Whitney Lynn (Robert), Ashley Lynn, Olivia Lynn, and J.B. Browder; eight step-grandchildren - Emily McDonald, Jack McDonald, Charlie Wall, Thomas Wall, Eli Compton, Lauren Compton, Charlie Compton, Emmett Compton; two great-grandchildren - Rawley Evans, Hayes Evans; six nieces and nephews and many great and great-great nieces and nephews.

Les's family would like to express our deepest gratitude to the caretakers who assisted his daily activities at the end of his life including Brenda Whitfield, Tiffany Whitfield, Tabitha Scaife and Karina Alonso.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 17th, 2024 at 1 PM at Saint Francis United Methodist Church in Cary, NC with a reception to follow. A memorial site has been established honoring Les at https://memorialsource.com/memorial/leslie-e-browder