When Terry Brown was first diagnosed with cancer last year, our sadness was tempered by the hope he would ultimately win this fight and that it would soon be just another colorful story added to his repertoire.
After all, the question, “Do you feel like talking?” was the ultimate silly question when posed to Brown, who has served his native Lowndes County in state government since 1988, most recently as Senate Pro Tempore.
But the outcome we dreaded arrived Thursday. Brown, 64, died at Baptist-Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle, surrounded by his family.
Brown fought valiantly, vowing that the cancer would not prevent him from his official duties, which he loved as much as any person who has ever served in the state legislature. His appearance at January’s joint session of the legislature for the governor’s State of the State address was vintage Brown. Sporting a jaunty newsboy cap to cover the effects of chemotherapy treatments, Brown made no efforts to remain inconspicuous — it would have been against his nature to do so — and was thrilled when the entire body rose as one to welcome him back.
His duties sent him many places, but there were only two he truly considered “home.”
One was in Jackson, at the Capitol. The other was in Lowndes County, his lifelong home.
He first arrived at the Capitol as a state representative in 1988 and served in that capacity until 2000. A failed bid for Lieutenant Governor was followed by a brief hiatus from state politics. In 2004, Brown returned as a state senator. Brown ascended to Senate Pro Tempore in 2012, likely the proudest moment of his political career.
A big man, with a personality to match, Brown made no efforts at pretense. He was, instead, the consummate “good ol’ boy” politician — a genial, garrulous flesh-presser, an establishment Republican cut from the familiar cloth of old-style Southern politicians. He could be indelicate at times and could speak a bit carelessly in some instances. Yet the occasional misstep was easy to forgive in Brown, whose “aw shucks” demeanor always seemed to return him to the good graces of friend and foe alike.
Those closely connected to the power structure of the state learned not to be deceived by Brown’s self-identification as “just an old country boy from Lowndes County,” however. During his years in Jackson, he proved to be an able legislator and a shrewd politician with powerful connections, both of which he used to promote the interest of the people in general, and the “folks back home” in particular.
He was a devoted advocate for Mississippi University for Women, and the phenomenal growth we have witnessed in recent years at East Mississippi Community College (Brown attended EMCC and played football there) is a testament to Brown’s effective work on the school’s behalf. He was also a key player in luring many of the industries who have arrived in Lowndes County over the past dozen years.
Brown never eased into a room in his life; he entered with a whoosh, smiling broadly, his hand extended in greeting, ready to tell yet another story suited to the occasion.
When a person who makes that kind of entrance makes his exit, he is certain to be missed.
We will certainly miss Terry Brown and are unlikely to ever forget him or his service to our community.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.