Obituary of SFC Billy Ross Brown
SFC Billy Ross “Bill” Brown (United States Army, Retired), a resident of Ozark, died Friday, November 29, 2024, in Southeast Health Medical Center in Dothan. He was 80 years old.
A memorial service for SFC Brown will be held 2:00 P.M. (Central Time) Thursday, December 5, 2024, in the Chapel of Holman Funeral Home in Ozark with Reverend Ben Ward officiating. Full military honors will be presented following the service. Interment will be 10:00 A.M. (Eastern Time) Friday, December 6, 2024, in Fort Mitchell National Veterans Cemetery, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. The family will receive friends Thursday at the funeral home in Ozark from 1:00 P. M. until service time.
SFC Brown was born March 22, 1944 in Yarnaby, Oklahoma to the late John Bascom Brown and Willie Lee Boatner Brown. Following his graduation from high school there, he joined the United States Army and worked as a Communications Specialist and mechanic. He served one tour in Vietnam where he received several commendations including the Vietnam Service Medal with three Bronze Stars and the Republic of Vietnam Campagne Medal. He returned home to Fort Rucker where he served until his retirement following twenty-two years total service. Bill loved to go fishing and was an avid Oklahoma Sooner fan. He loved his two fur-babies, Molly and Lucy. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers.
Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Mary Ellen Benefield Brown of Ozark; two daughters, Patricia Macri (Tony) of Midland City and Donna Webb of Ozark; three sons, Nick Brown (Heather) of San Diego, California, Bennett Ward of Dothan and Kenny Greathouse of Wicksburg; one sister, Lanna Webb of Oklahoma and five grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his memory to Tunnels to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, New York 10306; or to Wounded Warrior Project, P. O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675-8517.