Connell Brown

Connell Jean Brown, Ph.D, age 94, of Fayetteville, died Monday, April 16 at the Willard Walker WRMC Hospice Center. He was born March 6, 1924 in Eros, Arkansas; Son of Clarence Jackson and Winnie Dee (Trammell) Brown. Brown was a University Professor Emeritus in the Animal Science Department at the University of Arkansas. He graduated from Valley Springs High School in 1940. Prior to entering WWII service in 1943, he managed a general livestock farm and attended Arkansas Tech. In service he was an areal radio operator in the 485th Squadron, 501st Bomb Group, and the 315 Wing of the 20th Air Force. This was a very heavy bomber unit of B-29s based on Guam whose primary mission was destruction of the oil supply of Japan. The planes were also modified to carry single large atomic bombs. After World War II, he completed a BSA degree at the University of Arkansas. Graduate study at Oklahoma State University led to an MS degree and later a PhD in Animal Science with specialization in population genetics. Brown first joined the Department of Animal Science at the University of Arkansas in 1950 as Assistant Professor. Progressing through the ranks, he was appointed University Professor in 1986. He served as Livestock Section Leader from 1978 to 1981 and was granted emeritus status in 1990. His need for complex mathematical analysis led him to bring the first computer to the State of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas in 1957, a Bendix G-15. This required writing programs in hexadecimal machine language code. This foreshadowed the formation of the U of A Computer Science program. During a forty-year career devoted to the genetics of livestock improvement, he taught over 2000 undergraduate students. He chaired 30 MS and 7 PhD graduate programs in Animal Science and served on over 100 graduate committees in other departments. Although Dr. Brown was known primarily for research dealing with genetics and improvement of beef cattle, a review of more than 400 scientific and popular publications reveal studies dealing with pigs, poultry, rabbits, dairy cattle, sheep, dogs, mice, and monkeys. Active in many scientific and professional organizations, he served as president of local chapters of Gamma Sigma Delta, American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists, and Sigma Xi. He served as a president and received the distinguished service award of the Southern Section American Society of Texas and Southwestern cattle Raisers Association. He received the Research and Development Award from Performance Registry International, the John W. White Research Award from the UA College of Agriculture, the Hall of Merit Award as Educator from the American Polled Hereford Association, and recognized as an Advanced Degree Graduate of Distinction by OSU and elected to the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame by the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce. Brown was active in church and community affairs. As a 68 year member of Central United Church, he had served on trustees, finance, long range planning, building, and nomination committees. He was active in the Fayetteville Noon Kiwanis Club having served as president, secretary, and as Lt. Governor of Division 19. He served as secretary of the Washington County Council on Aging and on the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Cattlemen's Foundation for many years. After retirement he turned his hand to writing. Cattle on a Thousand Hills is the history of the cattle industry in Arkansas from 1600 to 1990. He wrote several autobiographic books including: In the Shadow of Boat Mountain, followed by Hard Times in God's Country, Tragedy on the Buffalo, Some Thoughts for Millennials, and A Personal History of Arkansas: For Newcomers to the Ozarks, finishing the last one 3 days before he went Home. He was preceded in death by his wife Erma Dexter Taylor Brown; two brothers, Dennis Ray Brown and Glenn Brown. He is survived by two sons, Craig J Brown of Fayetteville, and Mark Allen Brown of Durham North Carolina; two granddaughters, Ellen Arwen Brown of Little Rock and Leslie Brown Cowles of Fayetteville and one brother, Rex Bennet Brown of Boliver Missouri. Visitation will be 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Friday April 20, 2018 at Moore's Chapel in Fayetteville. A Memorial Service will be held at the Butterfield Trail Village Convocation Center in Fayetteville 1 p.m. Thursday May 10, 2018. Memorials may be made to the CUMC Endowment Fund, the CJ Brown Endowment Scholarship fund of the U of A Bumpers College of Agriculture, and the Butterfield Trail Village Foundation Healthcare Fund, 1923 East Joyce Blvd., Fayetteville, Arkansas 72703; Central United Methodist Church, 6 East Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701. To make an online tribute visit www.mooresfuneralchapel.com.