Ronald Wayne “LT” Brown

BROWN, Ronald Wayne “LT” 75, of St Petersburg, died Wednesday, February 16, 2022, at his home with his wife by his side. Ronald was born November 5, 1946, in Mayfield, Kentucky. His dad was in the Air Force, so he traveled to many different states and countries in his early years. During his senior year in high school, his father was reassigned to MacDill Air Force Base, where Ron graduated from Robinson High School in1964. He met his future wife at their senior picnic. He then started St. Petersburg Junior College and they along with three other friends carpooled back and forth from Tampa. During his second year at SPJC, his father and family were transferred to Germany, and from there Ron was drafted. He went into the Army and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division, and then was sent to Vietnam. He received Two Purple Hearts. The second in 1969 sent him back home missing his left leg. In December of that same year, he and Elizabeth (Marty), now a junior high school librarian, were married in Tampa. He then completed college at SPJC and USF with a degree in business. He then started working at the Veterans Administration as a Veterans Benefits Counselor in downtown St. Petersburg. Due to his injuries in Vietnam, he had to retire after 20 years, but continued serving and helping veterans whenever he could. He made many friends among the Veteran Community. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, his daughter, Martine L Caraballo who served in both the Marine Corps and Army, and his two grandsons, Thomas Ashworth and Frank Ashworth, both currently serving in the Army, and his Aussie dog Rocky, all of whom he loved very much. Ron was a member of The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and a founding member of the local Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Chapter 522.

Viewing & Visitation will be held from 11:00am-12:00pm with Funeral Ceremony to follow at 12:00pm  taking place at Veterans Funeral Care, 830 Belcher Road North, Thursday February 24th, 2022.  An interment service is planned later in the year at Bay Pines Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Red Cross Tampa Bay Chapter, Service to the Armed Forces Department.