Gilton Lamar Brown, 59, a native and life long resident of Orange who had resided in Nederland for the past year, died Saturday, May 22, 2010 in Port Arthur, Texas after a sudden illness.

Funeral services will be 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 26, 2010, at Old First Orange Baptist Church in Orange / McLewis Community with Reverend Bailey Harris officiating. Burial will follow at Bland Cemetery in Orange with Military Honors.

Visitation will be from 5:00-9:00 p.m. Tuesday, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange.

Born in Orange, Texas on February 6, 1951, Mr. Brown was the son of Pee Wee Brown and Mary Alice Peveto Brown.

Mr. Brown was a member of 12th Street Baptist Church in Orange. He was a graduate of Stark High School in 1969 and Lamar University in 1976. He had served in the US Army as a Tank Commander from 1971-1974; he then worked for Southwestern Bell in Orange for 27 years. Later, he graduated from Lamar University in 2007 with a Teaching Certificate in History. He was a substitute teacher for several local school districts. Most recently, Mr. Brown worked as an Investigator, CPS with Jefferson County Child Protective Services.

He is preceded in death by his daughter, Rachel Brown in 1977; son, Jesse Clayton Brown in 2006; and his father, Pee Wee Brown in 1994.

Mr. Brown is survived by his wife, Cathy Griffies Brown of Nederland; mother, Mary Alice Brown of Orange; daughter and son-in-law, April and Raymond Henderson of Orange; and son and daughter-in-law; Travis and Mia Brown of Orange.

He is also survived by his 10 grandchildren, Cameron Brown, Payton Brown, Jaelynn Brown, Kirstin Henderson, Trea Henderson, Rachel Henderson, Cade Brown, Caleb Brown, Karlie Brown and Kayla Bertrand; brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Janet Brown of Orange; and sisters, Becky Brown and Rhonda Brown of Orange.

Serving as Pallbearers will be Travis Brown, Raymond Henderson, Eddie Wolfford, Chris Wolfford, John Mitchell and Adam Sanchez. Honorary Pallbearers will be Frank Giarratano, Payton Brown and Trea Henderson.