Eugene “Gene” Price Brown passed away July 27, 2019 at the age of 85.
He was born Nov. 15, 1933 to Price and Della Mae Brown in Trinity, Alabama.
He moved to and lived in Michigan for many years before returning and making a home in Cullman, Alabama. He was always an extremely hard worker, and could best be described as someone who “worked hard and played hard.” He worked at Speedring, now General Dynamics, for over 20 years, until he and his wife, Brenda, built Sportsworld Skatecenter in Cullman in 1978 and a second rink in Columbia, TN in 1988. They gave many teenagers their first jobs at the rinks while providing a fun and safe place for countless children, teenagers, and church/school groups to enjoy their birthdays, weekends and summers.
They sold the rinks in 1998 and retired to their home in Cullman, where he enjoyed country living and being “Pawpaw.” He and Brenda planted a garden every year and enjoyed canning their harvest. They also enjoyed having their grandchildren visit and teaching them how to fish in their pond, and how to ride go-karts and motorcycles. He was an avid Alabama Crimson Tide football fan and loved keeping up with all sports. He loved his dogs and riding his Harley on the open road to anywhere that sounded fun. He and Brenda made regular trips to the coast together where they would enjoy playing tennis and spending time near the water.
In addition to his parents, Gene was preceded in death by his sister and brother-in-law, Dolores and Clay Smith, his brother, Bobby, and his beloved granddaughter, Elizabeth Volker.
Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Brenda, his sister-in-law, Joyce, the mother of his children, Marie Brown Walker, his children, Pamela Allen, Kathy (Mark) Volker, Sherry Patterson, and Roger Brown; his stepsons, Jim (Sherry) Jennings, and Dewayne (Barbie) Jennings; his grandchildren, Ben Allen, Kyle Pittman, Brian (Lauren) Volker, Patrick Volker, Shanna (Nate) Mead, Jonathan Birtley, Eric Birtley, Brittney (Jared) Hopper, Desiree (Austin) Harrison, and Jacob Jennings. He leaves four beautiful great granddaughters, Ella Mead, Peyton Mead, Adley Hopper, and Landree Harrison, as well as numerous nephews, nieces, cousins, and extended family.
Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 30 at Moss Funeral Home. Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 31 at Cullman City Cemetery, Cullman, Alabama, with Pastor Wade Maynard officiating. Moss Funeral Home is in charge of funeral arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Cullman Caring for Kids, 402 Arnold St.NE, No. W1, Cullman, AL 35055, or Northbrook Baptist Church Caring Center, 1629 2nd Ave. NW, Cullman, AL.
