 "Photo: Renee Greer")
 "Photo: Renee Greer")
 "Photo: Renee Greer")
G. Alfred Brown Jr. sits in his favorite seat in the Dora Roberts Dining Hall almost every day with a partial smile on his face as he takes in what he calls great scenery. But who is he, some ask.
Brown is many things to many people, including a donor and friend of Texas Wesleyan. He recently gave the school of education a financial donation to make possible the teleconferencing of classes between the main campus and the Burleson site.
The education school is close to his heart. In 1962, Brown was an education major at Texas Wesleyan University.
“I live to help,” Brown said.
His desire to give and to serve things near and dear is something he acquired from his parents. Throughout his life, Brown was inspired by their example.
Brown’s mother, Opal Johnson Brown, was a volunteer at Harris Hospital for more than 50 years and gave guidance to several other places of service and need, according to the Central Link United Methodist official publication.
His father, Dr. G. Alfred Brown, was a Methodist minister who left a long list of accomplishments. He earned five college degrees, was the previous superintendent of Fort Worth Independent School District in an interim appointment and was the representative of the Central Texas Conference for several years.
Brown said he was heavily influenced by his parents’ devotion to serve God and was determined to do good as he saw his parents do.
In recognition and in memory of the lives of his parents, Brown established the G. Alfred and Opal Brown Ministerial Scholarship that was awarded for the first time this year, according to the official publication for the Central Texas Conference.
Brown spends most of his days offering help to a community that offered him so much when he was a younger man. He has volunteered in the Fort Worth ISD for more than 20 years. He received the Man of the Year award in 2001, and he continues to be active in the surrounding public schools in the Fort Worth area.
“I’ve never been married and never had children, but 280 kids call me dad,” Brown said.
He said that his payment for volunteering is the hugs and love he receives when he walks into some of his kindergarten classrooms.
He doesn’t forget the older kids either. Polytechnic High School endured some challenges this year, facing possible closure after years of poor standardized test scores. Brown fought on the front lines supporting them all the way.
“I want to see the schools like Polytechnic High School stay open,” said Brown. “I was able to watch Polytechnic High pull through till the end, and I was excited to see the outcome.”
Brown said that while he appreciates the school, he wanted to see some improvements in the curriculum. “I grew up during the days of segregation, and I think the schools should spend more time teaching not just american history but the history of the great African-American heroes that paved the way for so many today.”
He shares that same passion for education with Texas Wesleyan.
Brown shook hands with Wesleyan President Dr. Harold Jeffcoat Oct. 2 in front of a plaque on the wall that was dedicated to Brown for his contributions to the video conferencing equipment in Dan Waggoner Hall.
Brown also established an endowed scholarship for the school of education. He remains active on campus and wants to reach out to the community through some of the campus organizations.
“I’m just happy to be a small part of the education offered at Texas Wesleyan,” Brown said. “I love Texas Wesleyan, and I love being around the staff and students because everyone is so nice to me.” Brown said that he is always welcomed with open arms when he walks the campus. “The students even open the door for me,” he said.
Brown shared a few words of wisdom with Wesleyan students.
“Staying in school can be a challenge during the recession,” he said. “But stay in school because your education is going to be very valuable in the end.”
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