NACS Remembers William C. Brown

7-Eleven Oklahoma founder served as the 1975-76 NACS president.

August 31, 2016

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – William C. Brown, NACS 1975-1976 president, died on Thursday, August 25 at his home in Oklahoma City. He was 89.

Born July 27, 1927, in Brooklyn, New York, Brown attended the University of Notre Dame both before and after an enlistment in the U.S. Navy at the end of WWII. While at Notre Dame, he met his future wife, Carol Morin. He worked for a few years in San Antonio, Texas, before moving to Oklahoma City in 1952. There, he and Carol began to build a successful company and raise a family of eight children.

Their business idea, still an emerging concept at the time, was to build a chain of conveniently-located stores that stocked all the things consumers want or need in the moment, from ice and refreshments to basic grocery staples. Family friends in Dallas, the Thompsons, had begun developing the 7-Eleven idea, and the Browns set out to do the same in central Oklahoma.

To this day, 7-Eleven Oklahoma remains a completely separate company from the 7-Eleven found outside of the state. Both companies proudly share the name and trademark of 7-Eleven, but only 7-Eleven Stores in Oklahoma have continued to be owned by the Brown family.

As NACS president, Brown presided over the first complete NACS trade show and educational exhibition (the event had desktop displays in 1976). Three hundred booths were expected—a very big event in NACS’ history. Also in 1976, the NACS Member Relations Committee was directed to examine how working with telethons could help enhance the image of the industry to the public.

Brown was an avid golfer and a devoted parishioner of Christ the King Catholic Church. Throughout his life he remained an ardent supporter of Notre Dame and a member of the school’s business council. With his wife Carol, he was a supporter of numerous charities including the Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity, Great Expectations Foundation of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and various Catholic Charities nationally and internationally.

In 2014, Brown was awarded the “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice” or the Cross of Honor by Pope Francis, presented by Archbishop Coakley. It is the highest medal that can be awarded to the laity by the Pope.

Brown's son, Jim Brown, described his father as a grateful person. “To whom much is given, much is expected. That's how he lived his life,” said Jim Brown, CEO of 7-Eleven Stores. “He lived his life to share his blessings. There are people on this planet who have no idea what he's done for them. Some people in the community are aware; most aren't. That's how he would have preferred it.”

Brown was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and his wife of over 62 years, Carol. He is survived by his sister Pat, as well as his eight children and their spouses and 28 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at Christ the King Catholic Church, 8005 Dorset Drive, Oklahoma City 73120, at 11:00 a.m. Thursday September 1, 2016.  Donations can be made to Birth Choice of Oklahoma, P O Box 94533, Oklahoma City, OK  73143.

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