Fred Brown

Funeral services for Mr. Fred Houston Brown, age 77 of Cookeville, will be held Friday, February 16th at 11:00 a.m. at Collegeside Church of Christ. Interment will follow in the Brown Family Cemetery. Bro. Johnny Fox will officiate. Mr. Brown's family will receive friends Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00p.m. at the Cookeville Chapel of Hooper, Huddleston and Horner Funeral Home and again Friday from 10:00 a.m. until service time at Collegeside Church of Christ. Mr. Brown died Sunday, February 11, 2018 in Cookeville Regional Medical Center. He was born May 21, 1940 in Jackson Co., Tennessee to the late Johnie Fred and Velma Kirby Brown. He was a graduate of Cookeville Central High and a 1963 graduate of Tennessee Tech University with an accounting degree. He also served his country as a member of the National Guard. Fred worked for Pepsi while attending Tennessee Tech. After graduating from college, he worked briefly for Price-Waterhouse in Nashville. He would return to Cookeville and Pepsi, eventually becoming General Manager and Partner with Jess Owens. He oversaw bottling operations in Cookeville, TN and in bottling plants in Kentucky. He grew the Pepsi brand into the dominating soft drink brand in Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky. The Cookeville Pepsi market share was so strong that when Pepsi bought back it's franchises in the early to mid-1980's, the 1986 Cookeville buyback was the highest per case price for any Pepsi bottling franchise purchase in the United States. Fred, and his brother, Robert, bought the RC Cola plant in the early 1970's. Jim Hall would become a partner a few years later which would be the beginning of their friendship and many business partnerships. In 1980, Fred served on the Board of First Tennessee Bank. He would serve on the First TN Board till 1988 when he, Jim Hall and several others in the community would start Peoples Bank of the Upper Cumberland. He was the Chairman of the Board for People Bank. People's Bank bought Citizens Federal in Rockwood and Citizens Federal in Kingston. He was Chairman of the Board for the Rockwood Bank and the Kingston Bank. He oversaw the sale of People's Bank to First Star Bank. Fred and Jim Hall bought Anderson County Bank where Fred served as Vice-Chairman of the Board until it was sold. Fred's true work passion was real estate development. In the late 1960's, he started developing single-family residential subdivisions in Putnam County. Fred partnered with the late E.J. Maxwell to build almost 100 homes a year for nearly two decades. He also developed and built homes with David Burton in Briargate and Laurel Park and several others. Fred developed Colonial Heights, Colonial Estates, Colonial Forest, Heathwood, Heathwood West, South Meade, Wyndemere, Farms at South Pointe, Brookstone, Lake Pointe, Farmington Woods, Capshaw Woods - Phase F, Fox Hill, Park West, Lindenwood, Country Club Place, The Greens, The Fairways, Cambridge, Plantation Oaks, Plantation Heights, Fisk Park, Copperfield, White Plains Plantation and Golf Course, The Overlook, Oakhurst, The Highlands at Bear Creek, Bear Lake to name but a few of his single-family developments. Fred also developed Deer Creek Golf Community in Crossville. He and his brother, Robert, developed properties in DeKalb, Maury, Cumberland, and White Counties. At one time, Fred was responsible for 50% of all single-family development being developed in Putnam County. He built and dedicated to Putnam County over 50 miles of road, over 50 miles of waterline, and over 20 miles of sewerline. Fred has developed approximately 3,000 residential lots in Putnam County and Middle Tennessee. Fred also developed commercial and industrial property. He developed The Hub Industrial & Distribution Park in Algood. At one time he owned almost all of Interstate Drive. He and his brother, Robert, developed and sold to O'Charleys, Applebee's, Red Lobster, and Fazioli's. He developed the Truck Stop and hotel on Highway 111 at I-40. After the sale of Pepsi, Fred became a partner in American Way Real Estate, Inc. with William H. Baugh and his wife, Pauletta. He enjoyed working with Herb and Pauletta on numerous real estate development projects they did together. Fred believed in, admired and supported American Way partner and broker, Jeff Jones. He enjoyed working with all of the American Way Real Estate agents but his favorite times were the company's Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners because all the agents are great cooks. He enjoyed the annual Awards Banquet. He liked the togetherness as a work family and the celebration of everyone's accomplishments. Fred developed real estate during his time with Pepsi, during his banking career, up to the time he retired and moved into the Life Care facility in Sparta. In 1985, Fred was President of the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce. He worked for and supported the Chamber during all of his years in Business. Fred was a proud supporter of Tennessee Tech University and worked closely with the TTU Business Foundation and the TTU Athletic Foundation. Fred, and his wife, Sonja, supported Habitat for Humanity. Fred, Sonja, and American Way Real Estate partner, William (Herb) Baugh, donated Putnam County Habitat their first lot in Putnam County. He and Sonja developed Habitat for Humanity's first development on Henry Rice and Eller Ridge Road. He and Sonja have supported the Cookeville Rescue Mission, Genesis House, Heart of The Cumberland, Mustard Seed Ranch, the White County Animal Shelter and the Cookeville/Putnam County Animal Shelter. Fred enjoyed his family and was very proud of his two daughters, Nannette and Gina, and their families. He worked like a madman to have everything just perfect at the house and the farm before they arrived for a visit. He would plan every restaurant he wanted to take them, movies to see, and fishing on the lake at the farm. He was extremely proud and supportive of his daughters, their families and their endeavors. When grandsons, Carson and Gus, were born, he was over the moon with delight of having two boys around him. He loved watching them play on the farm, learning to fish, and watching them play sports. He was very proud of their academics and the young men they are becoming. Fred and his wife, Sonja, loved to travel, especially if it was to watch sports. Even with his declining health, they were UT football season ticket holders, attended every home and away UT football game in 1998, including the 1998 National Championship in Arizona; season ticket holders for the Titans; attended the Super Bowl in Atlanta; went to two NCAA Final Four games; NCAA Regional Basketball games for the UT Lady Vols; in attendance for Pat Summit's legendary and milestone wins in Knoxville; season ticket holders for TTU Basketball and Football; went to OVC Basketball playoffs in Nashville; watched Cavalier Football and attended playoff games every year; and, proud supporters of the Upperman Lady Bees and the Upperman Bees, going to their home games and many away games and went to all District, Regional and State playoffs. Fred and Sonja traveled for pleasure and antiquing during their 27 years together. As Fred's health continued to decline and he started using a motorized chair, Sonja made sure Fred went to every event he wanted, large or small. Their longest trip was a 3-week, 7,800-mile trip around the country and into Canada. They visited the Reagan National Library, the Napa and Sonoma wine country, the coasts of California and Oregon, driving through two of the three existing drive-thru giant redwood trees, Banff, Canada, The Mall of America, Chicago, and NYC. They enjoyed numerous vacations to Florida, NYC, Mexico, and London. Fred continued to attend sporting events, local business and community events. Nothing stopped him from enjoying life and people. He enjoyed fishing on the farm, raising cows and other animals on the farm. Fred's greatest attribute was that he truly believed in everyone he met. This allowed him to empower all those around him. He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Sonja Marie Henry Brown; daughters, Nannette Brown of New York, New York and Gina Brown of Nashville; grandchildren, Carson Masters Brown and August Masters Brown; brother, Robert F. ‘Bob' and wife, Pat Brown of McMinnville; sister, Betty Dooley and husband Joe of Kingston, TN; mother in law, Helga Henry of Knoxville; brother in law, Michael Henry and wife Shannon; and by many nieces and nephews. Carson Brown, Gus Brown, Robbie Brown, Chris Brown, Landon Brown, Winston Brown serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers are Nick Cavin, John Cavin, Andrew Brown, Wendell Brown, Brent Dooley, Jason Dooley, Joe Dooley, Jim Hall, Herb Baugh, Lynn Wallace, Bill Ray, and Tom Sherrell. Memorial contributions may be made to Cookeville Rescue Mission, Habitat for Humanity and/or TTU Athletics. Hooper-Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements (931)526-6111. You may share your thoughts and memories at www.hhhfunerals.com.