Arnold Brown

C. Arnold Brown, 98, of Tulsa, OK entered eternal rest on May 7, 2025. He was born May 20, 1926, in Tampa, FL to Elbert Kenna and Dora (Plyler) Brown. Arnold moved to Tulsa with his family when he was young. He attended Lowell Jr. High and graduated from Tulsa Central High School in 1944. Arnold and his brothers loved playing baseball and he played American Legion baseball all through his school years. Arnold served in the United States Navy during WWII, spent 2 years in the South Pacific including Okinawa, which he talked about often. After his service in the Navy, Arnold attended The University of Tulsa on the GI bill and worked as a draftsman, part time for Braden Winch. He played baseball on TU's newly formed team beginning his sophomore year. He went on to play semi-pro ball and even entertained an offer from the Red Sox minor league farm club in California when he was a junior in college. With a new-found interest in petroleum engineering, he decided to finish his education while playing semi-pro baseball and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Petroleum Engineering in 1950 from The University of Tulsa. Arnold met Patricia "Pat" Bell on the first day at TU. They were married August 1, 1948, at First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa, OK. They later became members of Asbury Church. Arnold enjoyed work, grandchildren, golf, and St. Louis Cardinals Baseball. He loved the family trips to St. Louis to take in a game or 2, or 3, visiting Busch stadium for the last time in 2019. After graduation, he went to work for Skelly Oil (1950-1955), which took them to Carthage Texas and then Velma, Oklahoma. In 1955, he went to work for Crawford Production Company and in 1963, became a staff engineer for Keplinger and Wanenmacher in Tulsa. With the knowledge he gained in the oil patch and from behind the desk from his past employment, he and Pat formed KWB Oil Property Management, Inc. along with Henry Keplinger and Joe Wanenmacher. In 1968, Keplinger and Wanenmacher expressed their interest to retire, so Arnold and Pat bought their stock and became the sole owners of KWB. Arnold loved the oil business, talking to anyone who was interested, especially TU students in the Petroleum Engineering field. He never retired (just not in his nature) and was CEO of KWB Oil at the time of his death. Arnold was an avid supporter of The University of Tulsa, which he credits for helping set him up for a successful career. He became a member of the TU Board of Trustees in 1980 and served as chairman from 1985-1987 and named Trustee Emeritus in 1998. He was honored as a TU Distinguished Alumnus in 1983 and inducted into the College of Engineering Hall of Fame in 1996. In 2000, he received the J. Paschal Twyman Award and was inducted into the TU Business Hall of Fame in 2004. He is also a lifetime member of the TU Letterwinner's Association. He has supported The Donald W. Reynolds Center, Case Athletic Center, Golden Hurricane Athletics, McFarlin Library, the Engineering building renovation, Fine Arts Building Fund, and the Brown Village Apartments. He and Pat also established the Arney Brown Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund in memory of their son who passed away in 1997. Arnold is survived by his wife, Pat Brown of 77 years (Tulsa), son; Mickey Brown of Tulsa, OK, daughters; Julie Koupe and husband Terry of Nowata, OK, Laurie Brown Purser and husband Darrell of Bixby, OK, five grandchildren - Erinn Lynam (Kevin), Patrick Brown (Jennifer), Richard Brown, Jordan Anderson and Carter Bledsoe, eight great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his son, Arney Brown, his parents Kenna and Dora, his twin brother, Lawrence Brown and younger brother, Vernon Brown. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Asbury Church or American Cancer Society, 7645 E 63rd St., Suite 105, Tulsa, OK 74133, Celebration Service: 11:00 am, Saturday, May 24, 2025, at Asbury Church (Mason Chapel) 6767 S. Mingo Rd. Tulsa, OK 74133.

Arnold Brown

May 20, 1926 - May 7, 2025