LOCAL NEWS — Martin Shallenberger Brown, who served as CEO of Jack Daniel’s Distillery until 1986, died Sunday, August 11, at his home in Nashville after a three-year battle with cancer. He was 81 years old.

“Martin Brown was deeply proud to be a part of Jack Daniel’s growth and served in various roles at the company before retiring in 1986 when he was Chairman and CEO.,” according to his obituary.

He and his wife, the former Elizabeth “Betty’ Moorehead, lived in Lynchburg area until his retirement. After leaving Jack Daniel’s, Brown launched a second career as a chairman of Therapeutic Antibodies, a British biotech company with an office in Nashville.

A native of Louisville, Kentucky, he was also a fourth generation descendant of George Garvin Brown, who founded Brown-Forman, the parent company of Jack Daniel’s, in 1870.

Those who wish to honor Brown’s life may make a donation to the Land Trust of Tennessee or the Southern Environmental Law Center, two organizations close to Brown’s heart, according to his family. To view his full obituary, click here.•

{The Lynchburg Times is Moore County’s only independently owned and operated newspaper. We cover local news as well as regional news from Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, and Lincoln counties. We also cover things of interest to the 300,000 folks who come to visit our small town each year. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.}