Dates
Early Life and Education
Rev. Willie “Dusty” Brown was born on January 20, 1931, in Hillsboro, Texas, to Lawyer Berry and Ethel Garrett Brown. He received his education in the public schools of Hillsboro and Dallas, graduating from Booker T. Washington High School in Dallas, Texas, in 1949.
Call to Ministry and Military Service
In 1949, at the age of 17, Rev. Brown delivered his first sermon at Mount Zion Baptist Church in Dallas. Later that year, he enlisted in the United States Army and was honorably discharged upon completion of his service in 1951.
Family and Further Education
Following his military service, Rev. Brown attended Butler College. In 1954, he married Pearl Jones Brown, and together they were blessed with six children.
Pastoral Career
Rev. Brown’s distinguished pastoral ministry began in 1957 in Coleman, Texas. Over the course of fifty years, he served African Methodist Episcopal Churches throughout Texas, ministering to congregations in Borger, Stamford, Sweetwater, Slaton, El Paso, Abilene, Longview, Mount Pleasant, Tyler, White Rock, Corpus Christi, Houston, Dallas, and Garland.
Leadership and Retirement
In 2002, Rev. Brown was appointed Presiding Elder of the Northwest Texas Conference in the 10th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. After five years in that leadership role, he returned to pastoral ministry at Shiloh AME Church in Galveston, Texas, where he retired at the age of 75. Even in retirement, he continued his ministry as an interim pastor. Bishop John R. Bryant affectionately referred to him as a “preaching machine.” He also loved to fish and hunt in his spare time.
Legacy and Family
Rev. Brown was preceded in death by his sons, Willie Brown Jr. and Kevin Brown, and his sister, Ola Mae Hunter. He is survived by his daughter, Rev. Sonia (Giles) J. Scott (Retired Itinerant Elder in the AME Church); three sons, Roderick Brown, John Brown, and Adrain (Norma) Brown; five sisters, Nancy Jo Johnson, Robinette (Charles)Davis, Johnnie Pearl Yates, Lucy Jean Foster, L.B. Brown, and Ruth Ann (Andrew) Rector; nineteen grandchildren; twenty-three great-grandchildren; and a host of other family and friends who lovingly called him “Brother” “Pops” or “Big Daddy.” He was a dynamic father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, friend, pastor, and mentor.