Charles Edward ‘CE’ ‘Charlie’ Brown, 84, was born to Charles ‘Dede’ and Martha Brown on August 27th 1939. They had him a little later in life and he was an only child. CE grew up in Lebanon, Missouri, and lived all but about five years there. His heart will always be in Lebanon, Missouri. But his friendships spanned a nation and gave him a lifetime of joy!!! If you were his friend, and you talked to him on his phone at all, please know you brought him so much joy and pleasure.
In high school, at his beloved Lebanon High School, CE’s love of sports was born and would stay with him the rest of his life. He was a multi-sport athlete with high aspirations until two broken legs, one in his junior year and one in his senior year, derailed those plans. Not only did he enjoy so many members of his Class of ’57, whom he still met for lunch once a month, but he also had dear lifetime friends from the grades around him. Lebanon High School was his passion and brought him so much enjoyment. His love of LHS drove his dedication to helping bring the Alumnae Plaza to fruition. Charlie loved watching, rooting for and supporting so many sports and students there and you always knew where to find him on fall Friday nights!
After high school, he made a decision that would lead him to discover two new passions, the University of Missouri and Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He moved to Columbia, Missouri and became a lifetime Mizzou fan and a lifetime Beta. (He also became ‘Charlie’ there.) The friendships made in Columbia endured until his death.
As an alum of both groups, he spent lots of time helping in any way he could to support, fundraise and improve both of these institutions. Charlie was an ardent advocate for Mizzou Sports, both behind the scenes and at games. Also, it thrilled him to no end to help a young person desiring to attend Mizzou to reach their goal, whether in athletics, as a scholar or as a fraternity member.
While at Mizzou, Charlie met a Springfield girl named Hattie Heer, a Kappa. They married their senior summer, graduated from Mizzou in May, and had their first child, Barbara, there in Columbia that summer. He was lifeguarding when they told him to get over to Boone Hospital for the baby’s arrival. A little over a year later, they had moved to Springfield, where their second baby, Charlie was born. Soon after, they made the decision to move to Lebanon, where he would go to work at his dad’s Anheuser-Busch distributorship, a business he would lead and grow, throughout his career. Their third baby, Bradley, was born in Lebanon as well. Charlie was thrilled to raise his family in Lebanon and was very proud of them.
Settled back in Lebanon, Charlie got back to his sports, pivoting from player to referee, umpire, coach and mentor. He travelled all around the region reffing football and basketball games. The fun he had with his refereeing buddies led to more lifetime friendships. Coaching baseball teams in the summer was so much fun for him and his young family. And he felt so thankful for the opportunity to work with so many Lebanon youth and help them excel and succeed if he could. As time went on, he found new passions in Missouri State University and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, and the opportunity those relationships afforded him to support and celebrate the hard work of students and athletes.
Summers found Charlie listening to, if not attending, Cardinals baseball games, and then rehashing the game with his fellow fans. Trips to St. Louis were a favorite family event. Winters almost always included time in his much-loved Marathon, Florida, a destination introduced to him by his parents and now loved by the new generations of his family.
Sundays meant attending services at The First Christian Church, where he found fellowship and friendship. He was so thankful to be a member there and worship there.
Over the years he served on many committees and boards both local and national. But as much as he gave to all of these institutions and organizations that he loved and supported and worked for, he felt the highest gratitude for the friends he made along the way. The blessings of those fantastic friendships were an amazing gift and gave him the will to fight through his struggles later in life. We wish we could list you all here and thank you, but given the number of phone calls documented on his phone, you probably know if you were one of them. The family thanks you for that.
But his greatest blessings and the ones he derived the most pleasure and pride from are his grandchildren, Michael, Elizabeth, Charlie, Bennett, Helen and Hunter. He felt so blessed to see them grow up, thrive and enjoy life. He even saw some of them have kids of their own; Lindsay, Virginia, Ethan and Otto, whom he loved dearly and who made him a great-grandfather.
Charlie died at Boone County Hospital in Columbia, Missouri on February 5, 2024. Survivors include one daughter, Barbara (Mark) Perry, two sons, Ed (Julie) Brown and Bradley Brown. Six grandchildren, Michael (Anna) Perry, Elizabeth (Michael) Klingler, Charlie Brown, Bennett Brown, Helen Brown and Hunter Brown. Four great-grandchildren, Lindsay, Virginia and Ethan Perry and Otto Klingler.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contribution may be made to: Yellowjacket Stadium Bleacher Project LHS
(777 Brice St. Lebanon MO 65536)
Donations may also be left at or mailed to Shadel’s Colonial Chapel, 1001 N. Lynn or P.O. Box 948, Lebanon, MO 65536
Funeral Service for Charles E. Brown will be Tuesday, February 13, 2024, at 11:00 A.M., at Kenneth E. Cowan Civic Center Auditorium.
At his request, there will be a reception to follow, in the foyer of Kenneth E. Cowan Civic Center.
There will be a private burial.
Arrangements are under the direction Shadel’s Colonial Chapel of Lebanon.
For more information or to visit the website go to www.shadels.com.
