Brigadier General Lytle Brown Iii

Brigadier General Lytle Brown, III (ret.)

Lytle Brown, III died peacefully at the age of 91 on September 28, 2021 with his family at his bedside.

Growing up in Nashville, he graduated from West High School in 1947 and followed this with a degree in civil engineering from Vanderbilt University.

Serving active duty in the military from 1951-1954 as a member of the 187th Airborne, he did two tours of duty in Korea where he was awarded the Bronze Star with V device which is the fourth highest military decoration for valor. He was also awarded a Purple Heart. As a paratrooper, he was known as the stick leader which meant he was the first to jump from the plane on any given mission.

From 1957 to 1964 he worked as an engineer and superintendent of pipeline construction for Williams Brothers. During this time he traveled between Central and South America, Africa and the Middle East.

Wanting to raise his family in Nashville, he returned in 1964 to become the Director of Engineering for the Department of Public Works of Metropolitan Nashville. He left that position in 1968 to form the engineering firm of Alley and Brown which later expanded to Alley, Brown and Pate before merging with Hart - Freeland - Roberts in 1970. He retired in 1984.

He continued to be active in the Army Reserve and the Tennessee National Guard, ultimately retiring as a Brigade Commander of the 194th Engineer Brigade with the rank of Brigadier General. From 1973-1974 he served as Commander of American Legion Post 5. His military career spanned over 34 years of active and reserve military service.

He was a 32nd degree Mason, Director of the Tennessee Monument Association and a member of the Society of the Cincinnati of North Carolina.

Not one to sit idly by in retirement, he went to work for H&R Block becoming a Senior Tax Consultant before retiring again after 20 years. It was not uncommon for clients to seek out his expertise year after year even though they may have moved far from Nashville.

Amazingly, somewhere along the way he found time to earn a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the Nashville Law School as well as obtain his private pilots license.

He is proceeded in death by his parents Lytle and Pauline Brown as well as his brother Thomas Frazier Brown. One and a half years ago he lost his wife of 66 years, Betty Marable Brown, to cancer, leaving a large void in his life.

He is survived by son Dr. Lytle Brown, IV and wife Susan and daughter Nancy Brown Sparrow and husband Anthony.

Also surviving are five grandchildren- Lytle Brown, V, Elston Scott Brown, Candace Elaine Brown, Barclay Elizabeth Sparrow and Abigail Lytle Sparrow. In addition are 6 great grandchildren- Lytle Brown, VI, Chandler Jay Brown, Lilly Marie Brown, Olivia Rose Brown, Elston Harrison Brown and Pamela Ann Brown.

Known later in life as “Big Daddy” to his grandchildren, he was soon referred to by that name by all his family and close friends. Larger than life and loved by all, a tremendous void will be left by his death.

From the mischievous child that was the neighborhood ringleader to the young man who outlined “UT” in lime on the Vanderbilt football field the night before a Tennessee - Vanderbilt football game to the middle-aged man who took his grandchildren flying and sailing to the senior citizen who only knew three food groups: Chicken fingers, chocolate and the occasional Crown Royal with Sprite - he lived life to the fullest and all who knew him were better for it.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the local Humane Society or American Legion Post 5.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday October 5, from 2 – 3:30 PM at Harpeth Hills Memory Gardens Funeral Home, 9090 Highway 100, Nashville, TN, followed by a graveside service at 3:30 PM