By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League
PINEHURST — The Christian Action League joins residents across the state in mourning the death of Rep. Larry R. Brown (R) who had served four terms in the House representing Davidson and Forsyth counties. The 69-year-old retired postal worker and real estate broker died Thursday after suffering a heart attack at his vacation home in Pinehurst.
“Rep. Larry Brown was a brother in Christ who identified with the Christian Action League on many of its positions,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League.
“He was pro-life and demonstrated it by the way he voted on such measures. He supported abstinence-only sex education programs. He voted against the so-called bullying bill that for the first time wrote “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as specially protected enumerated classes in North Carolina law. He believed strongly in the highest virtues of faith and family, giving his full support to the passage of a constitutional amendment to protect the definition of marriage in North Carolina as one man and one woman,” Dr. Creech added.
Having served Kernersville as an alderman and after eight years as mayor, he came to the General Assembly in 2005 where House Speaker Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenburg) said he developed a reputation for “investing his time and energy.”
“He was an accomplished man who loved public service and cared deeply for his state,” Tillis said in a statement. “… His input was sought on many critical issues. His friendship will be missed by many in this state.”
Dr. Creech said Rep. Brown served on the Alcoholic Beverage Sub Committee on Commerce and was perceptive about maintaining sound alcohol control policies that protect the public’s health.
“We are saddened for his family and closest of friends to hear of his passing,” he said. “But we have not lost Larry. We know exactly where he can be found. He’s with the Lord. Because of this, we don’t grieve as those with no hope. We even rejoice.”
Dr. Creech further acknowledged that Rep. Brown’s years of service were not without controversy. He came under fire for circulating an email last year that referred to homosexuals as “queers” and said a ceremony by a homosexual rights organization honoring a fellow legislator would be attended only by “a couple of legislative fruit loops.” That email prompted one of the groups to protest by sending him hundreds of empty boxes of “Fruit Loops” cereal.
“There was a time when Rep. Brown should have been more sensitive in expressing certain views,” Dr. Creech said. “Nevertheless, a man’s life or public service cannot and should not be judged by a loose or unraveled stitch, but by the weave of the whole pattern. Rep. Brown was not the villain some tried to make of him. He truly was a good man.”
Gov. Bev Perdue ordered state flags lowered to half-staff through Friday evening in Brown’s memory.
According to the Winston-Salem Journal, the funeral for state Rep. Larry Brown has been set for 2 p.m. Tuesday at Kernersville Wesleyan Church. Kernersville Wesleyan Church is located at 930 North Main Street, Kernersville, NC 27284. To visit the web site of the church, click here . To view Rep. Brown’s Memorial page at Pierce-Jefferson Funeral Services, click here.