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Terry Foster Brown was born December 27,1943 and passed away on May 4, 2026, at St John’s Hospital in Tulsa, OK with his wife and kids by his side after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born in McAlester, OK to Elisha and Leoma (Dickens) Brown and grew up there with his brother (Kenny) and two sisters (Judy & Joy). He graduated from McAlester High School in 1962 where he was an All-State forward in basketball and an All-District tight end in football. His hard work and dedication resulted in him earning a scholarship to play basketball at the University of Oklahoma where he graduated in 1966 with a degree in Business Administration.
In April of 1963, Terry married his high school sweetheart, Kitty Kennedy and the two began a beautiful life together raising their three sons Rob, Rick, and Mike. Terry moved his family to Vinita in November of 1968 to manage the T. H. Rogers Lumber Company and has resided in the community ever since. He founded and opened Brown’s Paint Store in 1972, which became a thriving local business that operated for 15 years. While running that business, Terry returned to college and received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Northeastern State University of Tahlequah in 1982. Upon earning that degree, he took a position as an accountant at KAMO Power in Vinita. During his time at KAMO he was asked to set up and lead their Human Resource department and ultimately retired in 2010 as Director of Human Resources.
Terry spent many years coaching his son’s little league teams in baseball, football, and basketball in Vinita Little League and has an attic that is full of trophies that symbolize his success. During his years at KAMO, Terry served as President of the National G & T Human Resources Professional Association. He also served on the Craig County Chapter of the Red Cross Board of Directors, the Vinnie Ream Cultural Center Board of Directors, and was a very active member of the Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, where he served as Church Treasurer for over 20 years. He was also a member of the Vinita Lion’s Club for over 50 years where he led and participated in wide variety of philanthropic and service events. Terry has been a trusted, valued member of the Vinita community now for almost 60 years. His greatest passions in life were his family, his grandkids, his home, hunting, fishing, and playing golf with his family and a lifetime of close friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, siblings, Billey Charles Brown, Joy Greer and Judy Day.
The family includes his loving wife Kitty Brown of the home in Vinita; his children, Rob Brown and wife Ludie of Disney, Rick Brown and wife Dondi of Frisco, Texas, Mike Brown of Dallas, Texas; daughter in law, Stephanie Brown; brother, Kenny Brown and wife Diane of Lafayette, Colorado; brothers in law, Jerry Greer, Steve and Mike Kennedy; sister in law, Dorothy Kennedy; grandchildren, Shelby Bell and husband Matt, Kassidi Brown, Kallin Brown, Reese Brown, and Nick Brown (fiancée` Brenna); numerous other relatives, many friends, and colleagues.
The celebration of life will be held on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at the Pilgrim Presbyterian Church in Vinita, Pastor Ken Bailey will officiate. The family will host a reception following the service at the Vinnie Ream Cultural Center, 1110 W Canadian Ave, Vinita, OK 74301.
Friends may give to the Pilgrim Presbyterian Church in Terry’s memory, P. O. Box 161, Vinita, OK 74301. Online condolences may be made at www.highsmithfh.com or on the funeral homes Facebook page. Arrangements are in care of the Burckhalter-Highsmith Funeral and Cremation Services of Vinita. “Vinita’s only locally family owned and operated funeral home.”
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