Brown, Booker

ALBANY

— Booker Tonye Washington Brown, 73 of Albany, passed away on April 1, 2021.

Born in Aba city, then Eastern Nigeria on September 23, 1947, Booker T. Brown was the son of Doris Hilaria Mehile-mcfoy of Equatorial Guinea and Prince Miller Brown of Rivers State, Nigeria. He grew up in Santa Isabel (present day Malabo), Equatorial Guinea, a former colony of Spain.

He attended Embry-riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Florida where he graduated with a double major, a Bachelor of Science in aviation and airport management in 1977 and as a licensed FAA private pilot. He earned his M.B.A. in business administration from ERAU in 1981. He also attended Mcgeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, California from 19821983.

Booker was a personnel administrator at the N.Y.S. Department of Motor Vehicle where he worked for 29 years. He previously worked for Gulf Oil, and other oil companies in various capacities in Equatorial Guinea and England as a company manager, personnel administrator, and transportation supervisor in the 1970s. He also studied and worked in Germany as a business consultant and public relations liaison in the 1980s.

At the D.M.V., he was the liaison leader for the Annual MLK Day celebrations and food drive. He earned multiple awards for working across all cultural communities including the African American Excellence Award presented by Governor Pataki. He also earned recognition for over 25 years of dedicated service to Junior Achievement.

Booker was an avid car enthusiast following his time on the Autobahn in Germany. He loved traveling across the world and had an eclectic musical taste, as well as a gift for learning languages. Booker spoke Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese and Creole.

He was a longtime member of The Cathedral of All Saints in Albany, where he served as a lector, member of the Cathedral chapter, and the head of the Usher’s ministry.

He met his beloved wife Victoria Brown in 1999 and married her on September 23, 2000; he traveled everywhere with her. Booker and Vicky were best friends.

Booker Brown was someone who gave liberally without a thought of getting anything back in return. There are countless stories of his advocacy for others, and his loving support for friends and family. He shared his huge heart with so many, especially his family and all the children in his life. His laughter and stories will live forever in our hearts.

He is survived by his loving wife, Victoria Brown; his aunt Vera Cruz Barleycorn, and his aunt Alafia Jackson; relatives, Adenike Grange, Emilia Keke Onyewuenyi, Victor Grange, Bernice Minimah, Hubert Minimah, Walter Barleycorn, Edward