Portrait of Donald Brown. IMB Photo
Donald Brown, an International Mission Board missionary emeritus who shared the gospel in Israel, died April 4, 2026. He was 95.
Donald was born Nov. 27, 1930, in El Dorado, Arkansas, to the late Joseph D. Brown and Abigale Thigpen Brown. He graduated from Vivian (Louisiana) High School and received the Bachelor of Arts from East Texas Baptist College, Marshall, Texas; the Master of Divinity from New Orleans (Louisiana) Baptist Theological Seminary; and the Doctor of Theology from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, Memphis, Tennessee.
During college, Donald served as pastor of Enterprise Baptist Church in Farmerville, Louisiana, and then Walnut Hill Baptist Church in Vivan, Louisiana. He married Margaret Ann Smith in June 1951. Their family moved to New Orleans in 1956, where Don enrolled in seminary. After graduation he accepted a call to pastor Des Allemands (Louisiana) Baptist Church and began graduate studies in the department of Old Testament. In 1961, Margaret Ann was diagnosed with leukemia. After Don finished his second year of graduate work, he decided to take a break while Margaret Ann received treatment. He continued to pastor and taught in public school. In 1963, they moved to north Louisiana to be nearer to family and have their help. Donald was called as pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church in Converse, Louisiana, where he served until Margaret Ann’s death in 1972.
In 1973, Donald felt led to resume his graduate studies at Mid-America seminary. During this time, he met Elsie Word, and they were married on Aug. 17, 1974. They served at First Baptist Church in Coushatta, Louisiana, until June 1977 and then moved to Thibodeaux, Louisiana, where Donald was pastor of the First Baptist Church. In 1984, Donald accepted the call to pastor Downsville (Louisiana) Baptist Church.
While seeking missionary appointment Donald wrote, “We give the Lord glory and praise for His guidance in our growth experiences throughout the years of our ministry. … We sense His hand in the matter of placing before us at this time the opportunity of a ministry outside the United States. … We have had strong concerns for world missions ever since He called us into His service.”
In 1987, the International Mission Board appointed Donald and Elsie missionaries to Israel.
Donald was preceded in death by a daughter, Wera Gayle Brown Daniel, and his first wife of 21 years, Margaret Ann Smith Brown.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Elsie Brown; a daughter, Becky Brown; and a grandson, John Roy Daniel Jr.
A funeral service was held April 8 at Chancellor Funeral Home, Florence, Mississippi, with burial in Springville Cemetery, Coushatta, Louisiana.
Read an obituary here.