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Where do I start about
Tom. Simply put, he was the greatest man I
have ever known, and I loved him dearly. He had an amazing array
of
talents - whether it be welding, coming up with the right
business plan,
helping craft a concert, or delivering a Bible study. Tom was a
true
Renaissance man. He was spiritual, artistic, and intelligent all
in one
genuine package. I don't know what his IQ was, but it had to be
astronomical. His wealth of knowledge about a wide variety of
subjects
always made for good conversation, which we often had together.
He was blessed with many natural gifts: He had a gift of
understanding - he could cut right through the BS to the heart of
any
matter. And after breaking it down, he would come up with a
great
solution.
He had a gift for sharing - he was so giving of his assets
and
time. I never ceased to be amazed by his unselfishness.
He had a gift for enjoying - he enjoyed all the aspects of
his life
so much, that he had a burning desire to give that happiness to
others.
He loved allowing people the opportunity to work at what they
enjoyed.
His Granbury Live and MC3 families are a testimony to that.
He had a gift for friendship - He could make a new customer
feel
welcome at GLive, and loved giving Uptop tours. And for those
whom were
lucky enough to see him day in and out, he was always there when
needed.
He knew how to be a true friend.
Tom was the ultimate collector. Some people collect art or
stamps,
Tom collected people. He was constantly expanding his
collection. He'd
run across someone who needed help, or who had extraordinary
talent, and
he'd find a way to get them involved. What was so great was, he
never
made it feel like charity. He gave that person a sense that they
were
in control, making their own decisions, and doing the work
necessary to
succeed. Then he would always be there to help make sure they
succeeded.
I'm going to miss him for many simple things - the late
night
berries and cream, the way his overalls were always left undone
on one
shoulder, his laugh at funny stuff on TV, and the nicknames he
always
came up with that stuck.
He was my conscience in many matters. Together we hold the
world's
records for most failed diets. My schedule is so crazy, he was
constantly trying to help me find ways to stay healthy. He truly
cared
about me, and I will always cherish that.
Sister, Tom truly loved you. I could always tell how proud
he was
of you. It was very apparent you two had a special connection.
And he was so proud of his daughter and grandson. The last
time I
saw Tom, he was carting that little boy around on his shoulders.
That
look of joy both had will be etched in my memory forever. His
last
words to me and Beth were "Goodbye Downtown and Brown Brown".
What a
fitting thing to say.
There is a hole in my life that will always be there. I
don't
think any aspect of my life will be the same without him. He has
profoundly affected my life forever. I know I am going to be
asking
myself many times "What would Tom think about this, and what
would he
do". Now I know just what Tom would do - he would enjoy every
minute of
his life, and unconditionally love those around him. That's what
he was
ultimately trying to teach all of us. What a great lesson for us
all to
learn.
We love you.
Kerry, Beth, Katie, and Stratton Brown
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