A Sad Day (Full Version)

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rhondabrwn -> A Sad Day (5/12/2015 4:44:01 AM)

I lost my brother this morning :(

Norman D. Brown, Professor Emeritus of History, University of Texas, specializing in the History of the American South and History of Texas Politics.

THE person responsible for my interest in military history and science fiction. A man with an inexhaustible supply of Civil War minutiae who refused to write about it because it was "too commercial"... leaving that to friends like Shelby Foote and Ken Burns. He was a popular teacher with the students and his classes were always filled to capacity.

A lifelong technophobe, he refused to use a computer and it took years to get him to use an electric typewriter. Never had an email account and never played or saw a computer wargame. Such a loss... he would have been the perfect opponent, but it was not to be. I wonder what extra info he could have added to the Civil War 150th thread? On all our family vacations when I was a child, there was never a road sign or monument that he couldn't supplement with fascinating details and stories. When visiting battlefields, he put the Rangers to shame with his knowledge. Just an incredible knowledge of Civil War lore.

I was planning a trip down to Austin to see him this summer... and suddenly he is gone... trouble breathing on Saturday and died early Monday morning, but without pain or suffering. He was 79 years old.

It just brings it home how life is so fragile and how it can slip away without warning.

Enjoy every minute friends. Wishing you all good health and many more years of life.




Zap -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 5:16:44 AM)

I offer my condolences




aaatoysandmore -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 6:25:11 AM)

Very sorry to hear the sad news Rhonda.




berto -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 6:49:25 AM)


Sad to hear of your loss, Rhonda.




warspite1 -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 7:39:41 AM)

Sorry to hear that Rhonda [:(]




JamesM -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 7:44:15 AM)

My condolences




Rising-Sun -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 7:56:02 AM)

Sorry to hear that, time seem to goes pretty fast though. So much have gone already.




Yogi the Great -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 10:46:02 AM)

Sorry for your loss Rhonda.




Gilmer -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 12:06:24 PM)

Sorry, Rhonda. I know words can't make it hurt any less. It sounds like he was a fascinating person.




vonRocko -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 12:08:10 PM)

So sorry Rhonda.




Erik Rutins -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 1:24:54 PM)

My condolences to you and your family Rhonda, based on your post I wish I had a chance to know him as well.




Greybriar -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 1:43:22 PM)

I extend my sincere sympathy, Rhonda.




Orm -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 2:28:38 PM)

I am sorry for you loss, Rhonda.




GaryChildress -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 3:03:55 PM)

Sorry to hear Rhonda. Sounds like he was a truly amazing person. [:(]




Jevhaddah -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 3:51:39 PM)

My Condolences to yoo and yoors.

Jev




Rodwonder -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 4:03:41 PM)

Sorry for your loss... [:(]




charlie0311 -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 4:42:50 PM)

I am too dumb to find words that seem adequate. Perhaps he has inspired others to "pick up the torch"




wings7 -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 5:43:31 PM)

Rhonda, My prayers to your brother, you and your family. I am sorry to hear of the loss of your brother.

Patrick




VPaulus -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 6:31:18 PM)

My sympathies, Rhonda.




mikkey -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 6:42:27 PM)

My condolences to you and your family Rhonda.[:(]




rhondabrwn -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 6:54:15 PM)

Thanks guys, your support and kindness are greatly appreciated.

This came out of nowhere... there was no doubt in my mind that he would be around at least another 10 years... and then he's gone :( Really drives home the frailty of human existence. I might not have the 10 to 20 years left that I was counting on... life could end tomorrow [:(]

I think it's time to do some serious "end of life" planning.




Vasquez -> RE: A Sad Day (5/12/2015 9:20:13 PM)

My condolences :(




CGGrognard -> RE: A Sad Day (5/13/2015 2:19:01 AM)

My condolences to you Rhonda.




radic202 -> RE: A Sad Day (5/13/2015 2:27:32 AM)

My sincerest sympathies my friend!




terje439 -> RE: A Sad Day (5/13/2015 4:26:11 AM)

Sorry to hear that Rhonda, condolances [:(]




Jones944 -> RE: A Sad Day (5/13/2015 4:45:17 AM)

Your pain is shared by many. I nearly lost my father this weekend (though a full recovery is now his likely result) and the feelings of helplessness combined with the need to be strong strike very deep.




milkweg -> RE: A Sad Day (5/13/2015 6:35:01 AM)

Sounds like he lived a good life, RIP.




Josh -> RE: A Sad Day (5/13/2015 6:59:51 PM)

So sorry to hear that Rhonda, my condolences to you and your family.
I wish we would have met your brother here on the forum with all his knowledge and wisdom. Life is frail indeed.




parusski -> RE: A Sad Day (5/13/2015 9:38:10 PM)

Sorry Rhonda, but you made me chuckle at his refusal to modernize. We most likely did miss out on things he could have added to the Civil War thread.




rhondabrwn -> RE: A Sad Day (5/14/2015 12:57:21 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: parusski

Sorry Rhonda, but you made me chuckle at his refusal to modernize. We most likely did miss out on things he could have added to the Civil War thread.


It was kind of a joke in the family to be honest. He also refused to learn to drive a car and relied on his wife, kids, and the bus for transportation.

The sad thing is that if he been computer literate we would probably have been exchanging notes and updates on a daily basis instead of a letter every couple of years. I guess that loss of contact over the years is what really hurts. His daughter, Tracy, did take a laptop in to his retirement home recently and let him view my Facebook timeline and photos to bring him up to date on my life. That made me feel somewhat better.

He would have been such an asset for the forums... like having Shelby Foote sharing all his folksy civil war anecdotes. Norman had that same style in his teaching as Shelby has in his books and interviews... always a personal story behind every event. I wish I had been a few years older when we did all our battlefield tours and could have better memories of them.

Heck, I wish we could have done a battlefield tour as adults... but our lives were too separate and too busy for that to have ever been a possibility. And now just a "what it" footnote to the Brown family histories.

Once again, I really appreciate all the kind comments and support in this difficult time [&o]




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