Charles Allan

Published 6:00 am Saturday, March 8, 2025

AUSTIN — Charles Allan departed his earthly life on March 3, 2025 in Austin, Texas with his beautiful and loving fiancee, Julia Simonds, by his side. Born in Oxford, Mississippi November 8, 1972, Charles was the son of Dr. John Michael and Ruth Vardell Smyth Brown, who survive in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Charles was baptized by his grandfather, the Reverend Dr. Ellison Adger Smyth, now deceased, of Blacksburg, Virginia. Charles made his public profession of faith when he was twelve years old.

Charles leaves a brother, Dr. Michael Hayden Brown (Huanxin and niece, Melissa) of Vienna, Virginia, an uncle, E. Adger Smyth (Fran Waterhouse Smyth) of Raleigh, North Carolina an Aunt, Janis Brown of Blacksburg, Virginia, and many other kin. He also had a sister, Susan L. Zenker (Matthew and one niece and three nephews) of Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Graduating from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Arts in History, Charles earned a master’s Degree in Latin American History from Tulane University in Louisiana. He also earned a Master’s degree in Library Science from Pittsburg University in Pennsylvania. Charles published in the Journal of Business and Librarianship. He held faculty positions at Lafayette University, East Tennessee State University and Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.

He was an accomplished musician in guitar, writing music and playing in various bands in and around Austin. He was strong in the French language and had studied Portugese. Hobbies were hiking in the mountains of the far west, notably New Mexico and Colorado. He enjoyed gardening and growing interesting plants.

Charles had a gentle spirit and a wonderful sense of humor. At the age of four, he announced on the second day of kindergarten that “School is an imposition on my time!”

Charles chose cremation and burial will be private. There will be a memorial concert to celebrate his life in Bowling Green, Kentucky to be announced later Instead of flowers, memorials should be sent to the Mayo Clinic for research in curing cancer of the appendix.