William "Bill" Lancer Brown

William (Bill) Lancer Brown, P.E., ended his "Long Good Bye" on Thursday, May 10, 2012 at his home on Sullivan's Island. The relatives and friends of William "Bill" Brown are invited to attend his Funeral Service to be held on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at Sullivan's Island Baptist Church at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow in Mt. Pleasant Memorial Gardens. Arrangements by J. HENRY STUHR MOUNT PLEASANT CHAPEL. The family will receive friends at the church beginning at 10 a.m.

Mr. Brown was born in Florence, SC, on April 5, 1924. He was the son of Robert Harley Brown and Bela McDaniel Brown. He graduated from McClenaghan High School in Florence where he was in the band and choir. Like so many others at that time, he immediately joined the Navy. Having grown up puttering around a friend's radio repair shop, he was very soon assigned to an electronics division with the Marines as an electronics technician. He would go in and set up communication stations while the Marines cleared the island of the Japanese. Upon his discharge from the Navy, he met his wife Skeet on a blind date and they were married just over a year later. Following his discharge from the Navy he attended MIT and graduated in the class of 1951 with a degree in Marine Transportation. He then went to work for the SC State Ports Authority where he worked for seven years. He then entered the private construction field for a couple of years before joining the Navel Facilities Engineering Command in Charleston. He worked for them until his retirement in 1984. He received numerous outstanding accomplishment awards while with NAVFAC. Mr. Brown was a long time HAM radio operator. During the Vietnam War he would relay messages from soldiers in Vietnam back to their families here in the states. In addition to the HAM radio hobby, he also loved to draw architectural plans to renovate old buildings on Sullivan's Island. He drew the plans and secured the builder who changed an old army building into the Town Hall and Police Station building. He also did the plans to transform the White Chapel into what is now known as Sullivan's Island Baptist Church. He also bought a part of a building (the old Nurses' Quarters of Fort Moultrie) and the lot it was on and made it into a very comfortable home for him and his family for the last 60 years. Mr. Brown had a beautiful bass voice which he used in the choir of Sullivan's Island Baptist Church. He also sang with the Charleston Singers Guild for many years. He was a very active member of the Sullivan's Island Baptist Church having served as a deacon, Sunday School secretary, and assistant choir director. He also installed and operated the church's first sound system. His carpentry and building talents are in evidence all over the church buildings. Mr. Brown was also member and Past Master of Washington Masonic Lodge. He was presented his 50 year pin in 2003. He was also very active in the National Society of Professional Engineers, having served as president of the Charleston and state chapters. He was also a delegate to the National Society. He was a kind and loving father to his girls and was very proud of their accomplishments as well as those of his grandchildren. He was especially proud of his grandson Ben who will be studying for his Professional Engineers license.

Mr. Brown is survived by his wife of 65 years Alice (Skeet) Brown and his four daughters, Betsy Brown Schroer (John), Patty Brown, and Barbara Brown, all of Mt. Pleasant, and Gayle Brown Morris (Scott) of Rochester Hills, MI. He is also survived by one granddaughter, Katie Schroer Robinson (Matt), and three grandsons, Billy Schroer of Mt Pleasant, Jeff Morris (Melanie) of Knoxville, TN, and Ben Morris of Denver, CO. He has two great grandsons, Liam Robinson and Kellan Morris, with a third soon to be delivered, Jace Robinson, and two bonus great granddaughters by marriage Emma Greene and Julianna Robinson. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the staff of Odyssey Healthcare, especially Julia and Peggy, for all their loving and tender care through these last few years.

Flowers will be welcomed or memorials may be made to Sullivan's Island Baptist Church, 1753Central Ave, Sullivan's Island, SC 29482.