Most people know Joseph Eugene Brown, Jr. as the man who owned the Old Post Office building in Downtown Florence, and that is fitting. After all, his pride in the place, which he preened, polished and – lucky for us – painstakingly preserved, was fiercely personal. Giving impromptu tours and posting photographs of the stunning property were among the many gifts he gave this community. Though Gene (as he was called) permanently left the building on July 21, this significant piece of local history will continue to be his special gift to all who call Florence home. But Gene was more than just a property owner. He was an astute businessman who mastered the art of the deal. Plenty of people in the Pee Dee and beyond benefitted from his sage advice. An armchair historian, he lived his entire 62 years in what he called "The Great State of South Carolina." To Gene, this was God's country and if you didn't believe that yourself, a few minutes listening to his impassioned historical accounts would set you straight. He was a man who deeply honored his Southern roots, and he had a scholarly knowledge of the Civil War, which some say he was still fighting. While it's true Gene had some fight in him, he was largely a lover. His circle of friends was wide and encompassed people of every stripe. If you were a friend of Gene's, you were rich, indeed, as recipient of his many kindnesses. He was known to routinely visit the elderly, have lunch with the lonely, and roll up his sleeves for the down-and-out. He committed acts of kindness with humility, largely because he took authentic pleasure in serving others and felt no need to draw attention to himself. And if he especially liked you, you'd be invited to meet him at high noon on Christmas Eve to ride to the Neck Parade, which he religiously attended each year. While he loved South Carolina, his football affections went more deeply South. He was a die-hard fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide and could be seen around town sporting his houndstooth hat. He enjoyed working out at Fitness Forum and spending time at Dusenbury, Snow & Evans Law Firm, where he would sit on the sofa shooting the breeze and occasionally engage in high jinks with the office staff. He proudly served as a master Mason at Amity Lodge No. 340 AFM and a 32nd-degree Scottish Rite Freemason. He was a Knight of St. Andrew, a Noble of the Omar Shriners, a charter member and secretary of the Never Denied Chapter of the Widows Sons Masonic Riders Association, an alumnus member of the Delta Tau Chapter of Kappa Alpha Order and member of Sons of Confederate Veterans. As a Southerner, he had an affinity for great barbecue and loved to gift friends and family at Christmas with a bottle of his famous "Dr. Brown's BBQ Sauce." To that end, he was also a Senior Barbecue Judge with the South Carolina Barbecue Association, and enjoyed criss-crossing the state sampling the best of the best. Gene was a real estate broker and held an appraisal license. He was formerly employed by the Lake City Development Corporation, where he was instrumental in bringing Nan Ya Plastics to the Pee Dee. He was an educated man, having attended College of Charleston and graduating from Francis Marion College, before going on to earn his MBA. Most importantly, Gene was a devoted family man and leaves a host of kin behind to cherish his memory. He was born on February 11, 1954 to the late Mae Weatherford Hyman Brown and late Joseph Eugene Brown Sr., and was predeceased by a brother, Rev. Herman A. Hyman. He is survived by his devoted life partner, Roxanna Shuler Tinsley of Florence; siblings Shirley A. Hyman (Tommy) Kennedy of Florence and Melvin A. (Geri) Hyman of Indiana; children, Joseph Eugene Brown III of Bluffton and Meredith Brown Hamby of Tennessee; grandchildren, Joseph Eugene Brown IV, Lawson Laird Brown, Bennett Elizabeth Brown, Harrison Wayne Hamby and seven nieces and nephews. Friends and family are invited to share in a final goodbye to Gene on Sunday at Cain-Calcutt-Stephens Funeral Home, 512 Second Loop Road in Florence. The family will receive visitors from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. with the funeral beginning immediately afterward. Graveside services and Masonic rites will take place at Florence Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to one of Gene's favorite causes, St. Jude Children's Hospital.