Tarlee Walter Brown, A Celebration of Life, September 13, 1940 - January 17, 2016, Saturday, January 23, 2016, 1:30 P.M., Morning Star Baptist Church, 614 East Jackson Street, Demopolis, AL 36732, Reverend Charles E. Burns, Pastor

Tarlee Walter Brown A CELEBRATION OF LIFE
September 13, 1940 -January 17,2016
NCARB
Saturday, January 23, 2016 1:30 P.M.
MORNING STAR BAPTIST CHURCH 614 East Jackson Street Demopolis, AL 36732
Reverend Charles E. Burns, Pastor

Order of Service

Prelude

Sis. Annye Braxton, Mistress of Ceremony

Processional

Hymn of Celebration

"My Faith Looks Up To Thee"

Invocation

Rev. Charles E. Burns, Pastor Morning Star Baptist Church

Scripture: Old Testament

Bishop Gregory Mullen Nest of Love Christian Church

Scripture: New Testament

Rev. Sid H. Rowser, Sr., Pastor Jerusalem Baptist Church

Musical Selection

"His Eye is on the Sparrow'' Cylessidine (Leslie) Hill,
US Jones Class of '59

Tribute to My Grandfather

Vincent & Jonathan Lambert &Coy Cooper If/

Reflections

Ms. Olivia Alston

Musical Selection

Julius Rembert, Organist

Tributes:
Musical Selection "Wind Beneath My Wings"

Mr. Walter Weiss Mr. Charles Jones Jr. Mr. George Andrews Deacon Clarence Lomax Ms. Hester M. Brown

The Eulogy

Rev. Fred Moore, Pastor Christian Chapel Baptist Church

Recessional

TARLEE W. BROWN
Tarlee W . Brown AlA, AICP, NCARB, NOMA was the sixth of twelve children born to Abram and Josephine Mullen Brown in Gallion (Hale County}, Alabama. His parents moved the family to Demopolis just in time for him to start school at age six. His father, Abe, was a hard worker with an innate entrepreneurial knack and his mother, Josephine a strong disciplinarian. While the daughters were not allowed to work outside the home, each of the sons were required to have a job no matter how menial the pay.
Growing up Tarlee had several small jobs and finally landed work with a Men's Clothing Store in Demopolis. His official job title was delivery person/janitor, but he was also a sales clerk which in the 1950's was generally unheard of for Black Americans. Sales clerks were paid on commissions, but not Brown. His commissions were split between the white clerks. However, the lessons learned in customer relations, sales, advertising, and merchandising served him well later in his business career.
Tarlee accepted Christ at an early age and joined the Morning Star Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Dr. R. T. Thomas. He was a faithful member of Morning Star serving in the Junior Choir, BTU, and assistant to the Pastor. His faith and involvement in the church was first, no matter what he was doing or where he was in the world. After moving back to his home state and the area he was born, Tarlee united with his mother's home church in Gallon and became a member of the Evening Star Baptist Church.
He had a successful high school career graduating with honors. He was president of the Student Council, Science Club, and the Honor Society. Additionally, he was a member of the Band, Chorus, and French Club. Early on in life, he was fascinated with drawing and painting with water colors. Without formal training, he learned to draw in three- dimension. During slow periods at work, he would busy himself sketching buildings and portraits. One day his boss saw his work, and made the comment that he had the talent to be an architect. At last he had a name for the stuff he liked to do, so he aspired to be one.
Making good grades in all of his classes especially in math and science, he decided to become an architect. His friends and teachers discouraged him. They felt that even if he got a degree, no one would hire him (almost all architects were white). Undaunted, he held to his conviction but had no idea how to do it. Without his knowledge one of his teachers was already working in his behalf. Because of her efforts he was accepted at Talladega College with a scholarship for the first year tuition. Talladega did not have a program in architecture however. The only colleges in the State of Alabama that offered architecture were Tuskegee University (then Tuskegee Institute) and Auburn University (then Alabama Polytechnic Institute at Auburn). The choice was obvious. Upon acceptance to Tuskegee on a Five Year Work-Study Plan to complete a four-year degree, he declined the offer from Talladega. While at Tuskegee, Tarlee became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He became percussion section leader and later Drum Major for TU band.
In 1964, he became the first in his family to earn a college degree graduating with honors from Tuskegee with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture, and commissioned as a Second lieutenant in the U S Air Force. As an aviation cadet, he had learned to fly at Tuskegee. Upon entering active duty, he was medically disqualified for Air Force Pilot Training, and reassigned to the Civil Engineering School at the Air Force Institu te of Technology (AFIT). As a Civil Engineering Officer, he earned several awards for his outstanding design and construction accomplishments. After five years of active duty, he returned to civilian life.

January, 1970 he entered the University of Washington (Seattle) as a Martin Luther King, Jr. Fellow from the Woodrow Wilson Foundation. At UW he earned two Masters Degrees--Master of Architecture and Master of Urban Planning. While still students, Tarlee and three of his design classmates formed UHURA Inc., Planners & Urban Consultants. The first professional venture for Tarlee. He led this firm while writing his Thesis for the Master of Urban Planning and completing his Terminal Design Project for the Master of Architecture degree. UHURU was so successful in the Seattle area, that they began exploring other cities for work.
In a meeting in San Francisco with the Senior Vice President of Parsons Brinckerhoff, Inc. Tarlee was offered a
position as Chief of Planning on a new project to plan, design, and manage construction and start-up operations for a new Rapid Transit System in Atlanta. He accepted the job, completed his academic requirements and moved to Atlanta in August 1972 . His first assignment was to put together a team, and manage the research, writing and production of an Environmental Impact Statement (E/5) as required by a new federal law. An EIS on a complete transit system had never been done before. However, Brown completed the project and got the Federal approval on time. This effort gave Tarlee the distinction of being the first to complete an EISon a total Rapid Transit System in America. This accomplishment made it possible for Atlanta to receive the federal funding needed to design and build the multi-billion dollar rapid transit system.
In Atlanta, Tarlee immediately became active in the community. His first relationship was to join the West Hunter Street Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Ralph David Abernathy and his wife Mrs. Juanita Abernathy. Dr. Abernathy o rd ained him a Deacon. He served on the Deacon Board, was Assistant Superintendent of Sunday School, and Vice Chair of the Budget Committee. Later he became a member of Saint Stephens Missionary Baptist Church in East Point, GA where he served many years as a Board Member. Tarlee designed a renovation and addition to St. Stephens which doubled the size of the Church .
Mayor Maynard Jackson appointed Tarlee to the newly created Urban Design Commission where he was subsequently elected Chairman. He was also appointed to the Georgia Historic Preservation Commission . Doing all this, in addition to helping raise his own children, he sat for, and passed, his State Licensing Exams for Arch itecture, and Certification of Urban Planning . Subsequently, he was licensed to practice Architecture in the State of Georgia, and elected a Charter Member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. He later obtained, through the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, the certification to practice architecture in all SO states.
In 1973, he started an Urban Planning Consulting firm focusing on the development of multi-family housing. The same year he was relocated by his employer, to Denver, Colorado to start a new project. Upon passing his Architectural license exams in 1974, he expanded his practice to includ e architecture design. After a year in Denver, he resigned from Parsons Brinckerhoff and went full time with his own professional practice. He and his partner Herb formed Millkey and Brown Associates. Upon the death of Herb Millkey, the firm became Brown Design Group. The firm grew to a 40+ person design firm . with offices in three states .
Tarlee is a highly accomplished professional Architect, urban developer with national recognition. Several of his accomplishments include : Design ing the first Solar Heated building in Georgia; General Daniel Chappie James Aerospace Center at Tuskegee University; Atlanta-Fulton Library System' s Auburn Avenue Research Library; Mary Mcleod Bethune Performing Arts Center at Bethune-Cookman University; Graduate Research Center at ClarkeAtlanta University; the first glass enclosed Rapid Transit Station in Cleveland Ohio; Design manager for the AcaDome at Alabama State University and planning for the Boston Orange Rapid Transit Line are examples of his work. In his home city of Demopolis, Tarlee designed the new Wai-Mart and the new Demopolis Fire Station both on Hwy 80.
He is an Involved community activist and world traveler. He was the founding president of The Collaborative, Inc. an organization to bring minority professionals together, and President of South Fulton Revitalization, Inc. He is a life member of the NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Tuskegee Airmen Atlanta Chapter, founded the Tuskegee Architecture and Construction Alumni club and alumnus of Leadership Atlanta.

In 1979, he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador to Lagos1 Nigeria by the City of Atlanta. On that maiden trip to Africa, he was accompanied by his mother (Mrs. Josephine Mullen Brown). Visiting with African families in their homes and witnessing a country being run by Africans changed her outlook on life forever. Tarlee has traveled to many parts of the world including Canada, South America, most of Western Europe including France, Spain, Italy; almost half the countries in Africa, South Pacific, Australia, Fiji Islands, Hawaii, Japan, Korea, Philippines, and others.
Tarlee is a champion of youth issues. Coming from a large family with limited resources, he has maintained a keen interest in the upward mobility of African American children. He saw what exposure could do for youth after taking his own children to Africa and other countries. Without the help of others, (parents, teachers, ministers), his life might have been very different. His desire to assist parents and organizations became his life-long passion. His support took many avenues, from helping to raise money, to Boy Scout outings, to selling hot dogs at little league games, etc. While assisting several youths thru high school and college, he felt that something more and different had to be done but he was much to busy to focus on it. He had already created a non-profit at his church, and was
chairman of another one. Tarlee hired over 50 TU graduates during his more than 40 years as CEO of Brown
Design Group, Inc.
With all of his professional accomplishments, Tarlee still had time to be a father. He served as PTA President while his children were in school, Boy Scout Troup Leader, softball team coach and volunteered in many other ways.
Jn January 1998, Tarlee met the love of his life, Grace M. Moore. Jt was love at first sight! They were married at Bowen United Methodist Church on March 13, 2005. It was Grace who first suggested that Tarlee's passion be formalized in a non-profit like the ones he was already running. From that nugget of advice from a wise and trusted partner, The Bridgeworks Foundation, Inc. emerged . Since its inception, Bridgeworks has provided a plethora of programs and initiatives to assist young people. The latest of which, was a partnership with his high school class. The U S Jones High School Class of 1959 presented three scholarsh ips to African American Students from Demopolis High School and John Essex High School on October26, 2013 and other accomplishments in the home town area of Marengo County.
When the Brown's decided to begin their entry into retirement, the Demopolis area was their final choice. Tarlee completed Leadership Marengo in 2008 . He served on the Friends of Gaineswood, the West Alabama Rura l Planning Organization's Citizens Transportation Advisory Committee, and the Hale County Industrial Development Board .
Tarlee Walter Brown is the father of four adult children: Meredith, Audra, Robert, and Gayle. Meredith earned her degree in child development from Atlanta Metropolitan College; Audra Brown Cooper {Coy} and Gayle are Tuskegee University graduates whi le Robert runs his own tire business in the metro Atlanta area. Brown has three grandsons- Vincent, Jonathan, and Coy Ill, one great grandson- Jhamoni Lambert and two great granddaughters, Kar!ee and Shania Lambert.
Tarlee also leaves a legacy of love from his surviving siblings, nieces and nephews-Five brothers and three sisters: Selton M. Brown, Abram A. Brown Jr., Matthew L. Brown, Threet W. Brown (Ira Jean), Winston Muhammad (Aretha); Dorothy Louise Woods, Hester Mary Brown and Rhonda Brown Henley (William). Thirteen nieces and nephews: Joyce Y. Flucker, Jacqueline Brown Knight (Nathan) ; Michele Brown, Antoinette Brown (David}, Abram Browniii(Luetla), Aaron Brown, Gabrielle McKinney; Johnny Marcus Brown, Joshua Mack Brown, S. Dwayne Brown (Vivian}, Felita Hood, Mia Nicole Brown, and Angela Aileen Cole (Henderick). Thirteen great nieces and nephews: Siobhan Hinton, Amanda Knight, Natalie Scott (Chris), Olivia Knight, Kristina Brown, Abram Brown IV, Madison Brown, Ethan Brown, Armani Brown, Isaiah Matthew McKinney, Brandon Brown, Blake Brown, and Britney Hood.
Tarlee is survived by one uncle who is also his high school classmate-Levin Croom--and many other relatives and friends.

The Bridgeworks Foundation was established to develop initiatives and partnerships with organizations and individuals that positively support at risk youth. Its mission is to provide assistance in the educational development of at risk youth through mentoring, tutoring and positive exposure, beginning at middle school and following them through their college experience.
In the Marengo County area, Bridgeworks has completed the following: l. Elite Lindenites - Bridgeworks supports the bi-annual scholarship initiative of this group 2. Demopolis School System -Bridgeworks has provided technology grants, sponsored college visitations, sponsorships of college testing, etc. 3. Marengo County Department of HR - Sponsored project Merry Christmas in support of local youth.
The Bride-eworks Foundation . Inc. is a 501c3 nonorofit ore-anization The Bridgeworks Foundation, Inc. P.O. Box 96 Gallion, AL 36742

US JONES HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1959 TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY CLASS OF 1964

Active Pallbearers
Robert Brown Coy Cooper, Jr. Dwayne Brown Abram Brown Ill Brandon Brown Vmcent Lambert Johnath;m Lambert Johnny Brown

Flower Ladies
Audra DanieDe Cooper Feh'tl Lynn Hood Mia Nicole Brown V1'l-7an Hannah Brown Gayle Brown Angela Aileen Cole MicheUe Brown Siobhan Hinton

Honorary Pa ll bearers & Flower Ladies
U. S. Jones High Schoo l Cla ss of 1959
Acknowledgments
Mrs . Grace M. Brown and the Brown Family express our appreciation for your kindness and sympathy extended to
us during our bereavement. Please know that each of you has been a source of strength and peace.
A very special acknowledgment to Ms. Burnquetta Marie Johnson for your tremendous assistance and guidance during the illness of our brother, uncle, grandfather, father and husband. Your kindness can never be
forgotten.
Interment
Memorial Gardens, Demopolis, AL
Visitation & Fellowship
Immediately follo wing Interment at Morning St ar Baptist Church
Professional Services Entrusted To: larkin & Scott Mortuary 510 Jefferson Street Demopolis, Al36732