Robert Brown

Obituary For Robert Brown

Minister Robert L. Brown 10-30-1947 - 11-3-2019

A Celebration of Life for Minister Robert L. Brown will be held Saturday, November 23, 2019 at 11 a.m. at Beulah Baptist Institutional Church, 1006 W. Cypress Street, Tampa, FL 33606 with Pastor Dwayne E. Sanders, Sr., officiating and Pastor Wallace Z. Bowers, Eulogist. Interment will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Park Cemetery, 4406 E. Chelsea Street, Tampa, FL 33610.

Robert L. Brown Jr. was born in Tampa, Florida to Mr. Robert L. Brown Sr. and Mrs. Estelle Brown. Robert was affectionately called “R.B.” by his loving and devoted wife “Mel” and was the beloved husband and soulmate to her.

During Robert’s childhood, his family suffered economic hardship and his unconditional love for his grandmother and mother fueled his heartfelt desire to help the household financially. The quest for an honest reliable source of income intensified and he began his entrepreneurial journey.

At the age of eight, while attending Dunbar Elementary School, he recruited his younger sister and opened his first business delivering newspapers for the Florida Sentinel Bulletin. As the business grew, he enlisted other family members delivering newspapers to many customers throughout Hillsborough County. He was later blessed with a lawn mower and began his second business mowing lawns.

Robert graduated from Howard W. Blake Comprehensive High School, attended Hillsborough Community College graduating as the first black X-ray Technician and was later employed by Tampa General Hospital. He furthered his education and became the first black nuclear medicine technologist at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Florida assisting in the development of their nuclear medicine imaging services department.

His medical career came to an abrupt halt after being injured at work. On January 16, 1979, he obtained his Florida Life and Health insurance license, later becoming the proprietor of his own insurance agency, American Investors Financial Consultants, LLC. Robert accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior early in life, was baptized in the Hillsborough River, and faithfully served the Lord.

Robert also raised his nephew, Ryan from birth until the age of eight. He later received his Florida State license as a Therapeutic Foster Parent, loving and mentoring several children for many years.

Chosen by God, he became an ordained Minister in 2009. In 2011, with the encouragement from Apostle Johnny L. Jones, he opened and operated Spic and Span hand car wash by Robert Brown. He joined St. Mary Missionary Baptist Church of Tampa in 2014 under the leadership of Reverend Wallace Z. Bowers for many years. He was the Sunday School Superintendent, helped with the food pantry, outreach and church grounds ministry.

Robert had a special bond with his uncle and Aunt Henry and Elizabeth Garrett, gratitude for an honest stepdaughter, Sonia L. Harden.

Minister Robert L. Brown, Jr. passed away on Sunday, November 3, 2019.

He was preceded in death by his father, Robert L. Brown Sr., grandmother, Ollie L. Johnson and Uncle Leonard C. Garrett. He leaves to cherish his loving memories: His wife "Mel" Brown; mother, Estelle Brown; children, son Marcus (Wynter) Brown; daughter Nicole A. (Deric C. Sr.) Sheppard; grandsons, Deric C. Sheppard Jr., Taurean J. Sheppard, Emery Z. Simpson; granddaughters, Markeisha Brown, Khadijah Grace, Nya N. Sheppard, Alexis C. Simpson, Naomi J. Kelly; great granddaughters, Janiyah Rumlin and Brooke Boyd; sisters, Stella M. Williams, Zella M. Ford, Aiko Y. (John) Johnson; uncle, Henry L. (Elizabeth) Garrett, and a host of other relatives and friends. The visitation will be held Friday, November 22, 2019, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m., at Saint Mary Missionary Baptist Church, 3910 W. Laurel Street, Tampa, FL 33607. Family and friends are requested to assemble at 10:45 a.m. on Saturday at the church.