TOM BROWN
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
MAIDEN — A memorial service to celebrate the lives of legendary football coach Tom Brown and his wife, Barbara, is set for Monday night at Living Word Church in Maiden.
The church is located at 923 Island Ford Road with visitation with the family scheduled from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and the celebration of life beginning at 7 p.m.
BARBARA BROWN
Tom Brown died Thursday after battling COVID-19 and other health complications for the past several months. Barbara Brown died on April 26, 2020.
He was a former football and baseball player at then Lenoir-Rhyne College, playing on scholarship for the Bears after being recruited as a high school star in Lewistown, Pa.
Brown first coached Maiden football in 1966 and left for private business after the Blue Devils won a state 2A title in 1978.
In 1982, Brown returned to coaching and teaching as Bunker Hill’s head coach. He guided the Bears to 22 wins in four seasons, leaving to return to Maiden as head coach for the 1986 season.
Brown retired after 22 years in his second tenure as Maiden head coach and, after seven years away from football coaching, was hired to guide East Burke in 2014.
He retired after three seasons to spend more time with his wife and care for her and spend more time with his children and grandchildren.
When Brown retired he had 330 wins at Maiden, a state-best for victories at one school that later was passed by Jim Oddo of Charlotte Catholic.
Brown’s 42 varsity teams went 365-140-7, winning or sharing 17 conference titles, and 31 of his teams reached the state playoffs.
BROWNS’ SERVICES: https://www.bennettfuneralservice.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=20101406&source=fb0&fbclid=IwAR0KY_feSjJlY3ifbQ7KoIlYb8KiZpBSO864lgn9ty0JTO-6sYRqgL8EwnQ