Obituary of Gary W. Brown

Gary William Brown, 87, passed away on August 24, 2026.

Born on May 4, 1939, in Wichita, Kansas, to Ward Childs Brown and Goldie Nadine Brown, Gary grew up on a farm in Spivey, Kansas, before later moving to Anthony. He was raised alongside his twin brother and younger sister. He graduated from West High School.

A hardworking and resilient man, Gary began his career in an auto body shop. When the business was sold, he transitioned to working at Cessna, and later took on truck driving—stepping into the industry without prior experience and eventually driving for Sunflower. He fathered three children and is survived by a host of family and friends.

From 2007 until his passing, Gary found a welcoming community at Father’s House Ministries International. He served faithfully as a Gatekeeper and greeter, though he was most famously known as the Sunday morning "waving cowboy," bringing joy and a warm greeting to all who passed by. He was also affectionately known as "Grandpa" to many in his community.

Gary wished to express a special, heartfelt "thank you" to the families of Cara Downing, Jeremy and Dawn Brown, Jaime and Michaelene Hernandez, and Brian Heyward for their devoted care and support during his later years. His gratitude also extends to the staff of Prisma Health, Medical University of SC-Kershaw (MUSC), Heartsong Hospice, and South Carolina Oncology Associates (SCOA) for their compassionate medical care and commitment to his comfort.

The memorial service for Gary W. Brown, commonly known as "Grandpa" will be Saturday morning, September 19th at:

Father's House Ministries.

1150 Sessions Rd. Elgin, SC 29045

The service will start at 9am.

Got a photo of Grandpa you'd like to share? Send an email or share a folder of videos/pics to: 

grandpagarybrown@gmail.com

Come celebrate the life of a man who was a vital part of our church and encouraged everyone with a wave of his hand and a cowboy hat on his head!