Brown, David Lane


David Lane Brown, a child and adolescent psychiatrist who opened his practice in Longview in 1994, died Saturday, November 29, at a local hospital where he was being treated for lung cancer.

David’s three-year fight for survival became well-known in the community, and his optimistic approach to dealing with disease was inspiring to his family and friends. His determination to survive was focused on spending as much time as possible with his wife, Laurie Drayer Brown and their three children, Sarah Lynn Brown, a senior at Texas A&M University; Hannah Claire Brown, a senior at Longview High School; and Aaron Lane Brown, a sophomore at Longview High School.

David was born December 14, 1961, in Houston to Lane Baxter Brown and Betty Philpot Brown. He grew up in Houston and Walnut Creek, California, and graduated from Stratford High School in Houston. It was at Stratford that David earned his Eagle Scout designation from Boy Scouts of America, and that appreciation for the value of scouting lasted throughout his life. He was proud to know that his son, Aaron, is following the same path.

Also a very proud Texas A&M Aggie, David received his undergraduate degree in biochemistry in 1984. He then completed medical school, a general psychiatry residency and a child and adolescent fellowship a The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. He was chosen Outstanding Graduating Resident by the UTMB faculty, and he became board-certified in both adult and child and adolescent psychiatry.

It was during his time in Galveston that David met his wife, Laurie. They were married June 3, 1989, in Galveston and moved to Longview after David completed his training in 1994. In June of this year, David and Laurie celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.

Until his lung cancer diagnosis almost three years ago, David maintained an active private practice in child and adolescent psychiatry. He touched many lives with his kind compassion. He also served multiple terms as medical staff president for a psychiatric hospital in Longview and practiced in community health centers throughout East Texas.

As much as David enjoyed his practice and loved his patients, he also had a love for teaching. After his diagnosis, he worked as an adjunct professor the University of Texas at Arlington Nurse Practitioner program; and he was a guest lecturer and visiting professor in Longview for medical students at North Texas School of Medicine, nursing students at the University of Texas at Tyler, and residents of the UT Health Science Center training program at Good Shepherd Medical Center.

In addition to his family and his profession as priorities in his life, David also felt a commitment to his community. For many years, he was acitive in efforts to establish a children’s museum in Longivew, and he took great pride in the development of Longview World of Wonders and the programs they offer. He served as board president of Children’s Hands of Longview, which later became WOW. At the time of his death, David was a board member of Crisman Preparatory School and a member and Endowment Chairman for Longview Rotary Club; and he was a past board member of Windridge Therapeutic Equestrian Center and Longview Museum of Fine Arts.

David, Laurie, and their children are members of Congregation Beth El in Tyler.

David is survived by Laurie and their children; his mother, Betty Brown of Kingwood; his brother, Tom Brown of Kingwood; his sister and husband Tiffane and John Patton of Pearland; father and mother-in-law Dr. Jerry and Kellyn Drayer of Longview; mother-in-law Ruth Drayer of Tyler; brothers and sisters-in-law Jay and Terry Drayer of Austin; Dan and Juli Drayer of Orlando, Florida; David and Myra Drayer of Austin; Kelly and Stacy Murray of Richardson; Brian and Amber Murray of Dallas; and 11 nieces and nephews in Texas and Florida.

A memorial service for David will be at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, December 2, at Congregation Beth El, 1010 Charleston Drive in Tyler, with Rabbi Neal Katz officiating.

David’s family asks that memorials be directed to Longview World of Wonders, P. O. Box 2647, Longview, TX 75606.