John Preston Watts Brown III

John Preston Watts Brown III of Wilmington, DE, died Monday, March 6, 2017. He was born December 26, 1928, in Chattanooga, TN, and grew up on Lookout Mountain, a place he loved. He was the son of the late John Preston Watts Brown and Catherine Barringer Brown. John graduated from Baylor Military Academy in Chattanooga and from Vanderbilt University with a degree in mechanical engineering. He worked for the DuPont company in Chattanooga and transferred to Wilmington in 1955. In his early days in Wilmington, John was active in the Boy Scouts of America and on the board of Big Brothers. After retiring from DuPont, he worked in commercial real estate at Patterson Woods. John was a member of Christ Church Christiana Hundred. He belonged to the Wilmington Country Club and enjoyed tennis and bridge and arguing politics with his children and grandchildren.

John is survived by his wife of 35 years, Eleanor C. Brown; his children Catherine B. Sloan and husband Bob of East Greenwich, RI, and John P.W. Brown VI and wife Jane of Atlanta, GA; grandchildren James M.R. Sloan and wife Amy of Cranston, RI, and Catherine E.R. Sloan of Eagan, MN; great granddaughter Avery Marie Sloan; as well as his brother Lawrence B. Brown of Chattanooga, TN. John was predeceased by his son Robert P. Brown and his sister Mary Anne Brown. He is also survived by step-children James L. Patton, Jr. and wife Kathleen of Wilmington, DE, Hugh C. Patton and wife Lilly of Brooklyn, NY, and Eleanor Stuart Patton and husband Kevin Kinsella of San Francisco, CA; and three step-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Stonegates for their loving care.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in John’s name to the Good Shepherd Home at Conrad W. Raker Center, Good Shepherd Plaza, 601 St. John Street, Allentown, PA 18103 (www.goodshepherdrehab.org/sweetcharity) or a charity of choice.