Moody Burt Brown

Moody Burt Brown passed away peacefully on May 15, 2020 in Lenox, MA. Born in June 1923, Moody was just shy of turning 97 years young. 

The son of Moody Burt Brown, Sr. and Eunice Penelope (Lightfoot) Brown, Moody was born and raised in Dublin, GA.  He graduated from Dublin High School with top academic honors.   An excellent athlete, Moody earned four varsity letters in basketball, baseball, football and tennis.  As a young man, he enjoyed fishing, hunting, building model airplanes and dancing to the juke box with his friends on summer evenings at Sessions Lake.  One of his proudest achievements was earning the rank of Eagle Scout.

After graduation, Moody studied at the Georgia Alabama School of Business and earned a degree in accounting at Middle Georgia College. During this time he worked first as a bookkeeper then as Assistant Chief Clerk at the Wellston Air Supply Depot (later Robins Air Force Base) where he worked out of a tent and reported to the Army Air Corps Captain in command.

Aspiring to Navy flight school, he enlisted but while waiting for the Aviation program Moody received an appointment from US Representative Carl Vinson to the United States Naval Academy in 1943. Because it was war time, the Class of 1947 graduated early in June 1946.  Moody was the Class Treasurer, 17th Company Commander and played baseball.

Moody was introduced to his future wife Patricia M. Horn on a blind date at 6:00 under the clock at Grand Central Station. They married in 1947 and began their life together back in Almeida, CA. While assigned to the USS Boxer (CV-21), Moody attended Naval Justice School and served as Counsel for enlisted sailors.  Moody taught at the US Naval Academy Preparatory School in Bainbridge, MD. After a short period away from the Navy, Moody was recalled to active duty in 1951 and stationed in Newport RI where he served as an Instructor in the US Naval Officers Candidate School.  The year was 1952, England was humming with talk of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and Moody received orders to report to London as the Aide to Rear Admiral C.F. Chillingworth, Jr. MSTSELMAREA, Flag Lieutenant, and Transportation Officer which afforded him the opportunity to represent the US Navy in Coronation duties and to explore the history and splendor of Great Britain and Europe with his young family.  When the family returned to civilian life state side Moody maintained his relationship with the Navy as a Lieutenant, US Naval Reserve. 

In 1955, Moody began his 32 year career with General Electric in Pittsfield, MA and Syracuse, NY in strategic planning and marketing for the Defense industry.   Moody earned his MBA at Syracuse University. He graduated #1 in his class, was elected to Beta Gamma Sigma, national honor society of Business Administration and received the Outstanding MBA Graduate award from the Central New York Chapter of the American Marketing Association – all while juggling a professional career and raising an active family!   

A life long athlete, Moody enjoyed playing tennis and golf and nurtured those skills in his children and grandchildren.  A past president of the Country Club of Pittsfield and the Syracuse Figure Skating Club, he was a certified USPTR Tennis Professional and a volunteer coach of the Pittsfield High School girl’s tennis team for seven years. Fred Astaire in tennis shoes – Moody could samba, cha cha, tango or break into either the East or West Coast Swing.  He was his three daughters’ favorite dance partner.  After retiring from GE, Moody discovered the Elderhostel program where he taught ballroom dancing and bridge at Berry College and South Georgia State College. He attended well over 50 programs, most recently a bridge Elderhostel in VT last year.   His study of bridge resulted in teaching different level classes at the Country Club of Pittsfield, in South Berkshire County and at Kimball Farms, the earning of Masters Points, and much quality bridge time with his great friends and partners.

Moody loved to learn and loved to teach. If his children wanted to do something he would get a book and learn how to build it, explain it or play it with them.  He found joy in sharing this love of knowledge with others because he truly believed that there is always an opportunity to learn and grow. And if you can read, the world is open to all kinds of possibilities.  Moody never went anywhere without a book, paper and a pencil so that time waiting would not be idle. He read multiple books on a wide range of topics simultaneously.   The lucky reader who chanced to flip through one of Moody’s books would be delighted to read the point summaries and applications in the margin notes.  The theme of his 70th birthday party was Lessons by Moody when friends and relatives from all walks of his life gathered to play golf, tennis, and dance and honor him with songs, jokes and skits about his Lessons! A true southern gentleman, a man of honor and integrity, coach and mentor - the riches of Moody’s life were Faith, Family and Friends.

Moody was predeceased by his wife Patricia and his son Christopher Burt Brown. He is  survived by his three daughters Barbara (David) Hawkins of Brookline, MA; Deborah (William) Travers and Nancy (Philip) Moss both of Darien, CT; daughter-in-law Lise Stahl Brown of Concord, MA; and six grandchildren– Whitney, Lauren, Matthew, John, Charlie, and Dalton- as well as many nieces, nephews, godchildren, dear friends, and countless students.

A memorial service to celebrate Moody will be held at a later date when the times allow gathering more easily and safely.  In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund will be established in Moody’s name and those wishing to honor his love of learning may make a donation to          The Moody Burt Brown Memorial Learning Fund c/o The Lenox Library Association, 18 Main St. Lenox, MA 01240