Thomas "Tom" C. Brown

Thomas C. Tom? Brown, 79, passed away June 29, 2006, at the Home Hospice in Odessa, Texas. A visitation with the family will be held on Saturday, July 1, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home Chapel, located at 3800 N. Big Spring in Midland, Texas. Private interment will be held Sunday, July 2, 2006, at Richland Springs Cemetery in Richland Springs, Texas, with Reverend Brenda Deily officiating.Tom was born in Bowling Green, Ohio, on January 11, 1927, to Hobart Philip and Stella Margaret Brown. He graduated from high school in Akron, Ohio, and joined the U.S. Navy in June 1944. After the war ended in August 1945, he was discharged in February 1946 while still a cadet. In 1947, he left Tulane University after his junior year to work for Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio, in the Mechanical Rubber Goods Division. He transferred to Wichita Falls, Texas, with Goodyear in 1949. In 1955, he became co-owner of Brown & Scarber Drilling Company. At that time he met Joe Roper, a driller, and the two became lifelong friends. In 1956, the company became Tom Brown Drilling Company. Tom asked Joe to work as drilling supervisor and to become a partner in the company. In 1969, Tom Brown Drilling Company became one of the first companies in the Permian Basin to be publicly traded when the company bought a corporate shell, the Gold Metal Mining Consolidated Company. Tom Brown Drilling Company became Tom Brown Drilling Co., Inc. in 1968. The name was changed again in 1971 to Tom Brown, Inc. as the company became involved in oil and gas exploration and production. When the oil industry downturn occurred in the 1980s, Tom Brown, Inc. was restructured and the drilling operations were spun-off as TMBR Drilling Co. in 1984. Tom was CEO of Tom Brown, Inc. while Joe Roper served as CEO of TMBR Drilling. Tom Brown, Inc. became solely an exploration and production company. TMBR later acquired Sharp Drilling Company and became TMBR/Sharp Drilling, Inc. Tom had served as CEO of TMBR/Sharp Drilling, Inc. since 2001 and as a Director of Tom Brown, Inc. since 1995.The following are Toms civic service, professional associations and awards: IPAA, IAODC, Texas Railroad Commission Pioneer Award, Midland Wildcat Committee, West Texas Rehabilitation Center San Angelo, Texas Research League Director, Midland Petroleum Club President, Midland Country Club President, All American Wildcatters, Hearst Newspaper Lifetime Achievement Award, The Two Hundred Club of Midland, United Way Finance Chairman, Midland College Board of Trustees, First National Bank of Midland Director, First Savings and Loan Director, West Texas Boys Ranch, Weatherford International Director, 2003 Petroleum Museum Hall of Fame Award, Hearst Energy Award, Pioneer Award, and the Permian Basin Petroleum Association Top Hand Award.Those who knew Tom knew of his integrity, generosity and friendly nature. If you met Tom once, he knew you from then on. He earned the respect of those he came in contact with and was known to lend a hand to many causes and individuals without expectation of acknowledgement. An avid fisherman, Tom enjoyed his time on water. Fish were known to tremble at the sound of his name. Tom never met a crappie he didnt enjoy catching or eating.Tom is survived by his wife, Sammie Angela (Crocker) Brown; one daughter, Nancy Spadafora; two sons, Mackey Lee and Thomas C. Brown, Jr., and his wife Kim; four grandchildren; two sisters-in-law, Marjolaine Lewis and Mary Maxcey; brother-in-law Mack Maxcey, Jr., and wife Debbie; and his secretary Regina Neill, who worked with Tom from 1963 until his death. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hobart and Stella Brown, his father and mother-in-law, Mack and R. Lee Maxcey; and brothers-in-law Garry and Kim Maxcey.Honorary Pallbearers will be Linda Robinson, Linda Moore, Jenny Herrington, Don Lawson, Jim Stein, Chuck Hedges, Jeff Phillips, Bobby Moore, Tom Martin, Walter Smith, Buddy Branum, Jack Blair, Joe Henderson, Dave Fitzgerald, Jim Alsup, Dennis Hopkins, Lee Bell, Bill Bergman and Don Evans.The family would like to give a special thanks to Dr. P.V. Patel and his staff at the Heart Place Hospital for the excellent care given to Tom through the years. Also, special thanks to nurses JoAnn Rice, McConell Oliver, Marvin Dunn, and to Margie Bradley, Floyd Brooks and Bobby Moore.The family would like to suggest memorials to be made to Home Hospice Grace House, 901 W. Missouri, Midland, Texas 79701.,