Thomas Dixon Brown began his life as a Georgia farm boy, and ended it as a widely respected pioneer of Georgia's agriculture industry. Mr. Brown — known among his family and friends as T.D. Brown — died Monday of cancer. He was just four months shy of his 100th birthday.
During his lifetime, the Georgia native taught vocational agriculture, founded the Department of Vocational Agriculture and served as executive secretary of the Future Farmers of America.
His funeral, arranged by the Henry Funeral Home in Lithonia, is 11 a.m. Friday at the First Baptist Church of Lithonia.
"He taught farm boys, and helped them to improve their lives, the lives of farm families and their communities," said Mr. Brown's oldest son, retired physician Dr. Tom Brown of Gainesville. "He thought that was important. He spent his whole life doing that."
While a student at Carnesville High School in Martin, Ga., Mr. Brown was elected the third state president of the Future Farmers of America. He went on to earn an Agriculture Education degree from the University of Georgia, and work as a teacher, before starting the Vocational Agricultural Department and serving in top positions with the Future Farmers of America. He also supervised all agriculture teachers in northwest Georgia until his retirement in 1974.
"Agribusiness is quite an important part of the economy of the state of Georgia," Dr. Brown said. "He felt that we should continue educating those who were interested in that field because it is a vast and important field."
His work did not go unnoticed by the state.
In April, Gov. Nathan Deal awarded Mr. Brown a certificate for his "vital role in our state's agricultural industry." The certificate also said that Mr. Brown "has long held a deep, personal commitment to those in agricultural education."
But Mr. Brown was also a family man, successfully raising three children with his first wife, Margaret Burroughs, who died in 1987, after 48 years of marriage. Their children grew up to become a doctor, teacher and engineer.
"An absolute perfect role model," said Mr. Brown's son-in-law Dan Ragsdale, speaking on behalf of himself and his wife, Gayle, of Oxford, Ga. "He had a set of values that he did not compromise, but did not impose on you."
Dr. Brown expressed a similar sentiment.
"He imparted that you should be of some service to your family and your God and the community," he said. "Whatever your occupation, that should be your goal."
Mr. Brown's second wife, Margaret Brown, said her husband of 25 years kept up his love for agriculture in recent years, dutifully tending a garden at home.
Mr. Brown's other survivors include son David Brown of Townsend, Ga., six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
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