Arnold Kolah "AK" Brown

Arnold Kolah “AK” Brown of Savannah, Georgia, passed away peacefully on March 1, 2026, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Born in Charleston, South Carolina, on April 12, 1938, to Thelma Lee Brown and Arthur Kolah Brown, he grew up in Lake City, South Carolina, where he was baptized at Lake City Baptist Church. He graduated from Lake City High School in 1956, earned a Bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of South Carolina in 1960, became an Eagle Scout, and taught high school mathematics in Columbia. Deeply committed to justice, he actively participated in the Civil Rights Movement, attending marches, protests, and community meetings.

Arnold later discovered a passion for computing and became a skilled COBOL programmer, working and contracting for companies including Coca-Cola, Alltel, and Magnum Communications. He was married to Gladys Lilian Hamilton from 1967 to 1990 in Atlanta, and is survived by their two sons, Benjamin and Andrew. In 2017 he married Nancy S. Goodman, and the couple lived together in Savannah until his passing.

AK was a warm and loving husband, father, and friend, known for his quick dry wit, keen intelligence, and genuine compassion. He valued logic and science, remained deeply curious throughout his life, and loved to laugh and bring laughter to others. An avid reader, traveler, and swimmer, he held a lifelong passion for classical music and was remembered for his patience and kindness.

He is survived by his wife of nine years, Nancy Goodman; his sisters Betty Lee DeWitt of Savannah, Georgia, and Bernice Melanie Bascom (Bill) of Kirkwood, Missouri; his sons Benjamin Hamilton Brown (Tianyue Yang) of Suwanee, Georgia, and Andrew Connell Brown of Atlanta, Georgia; and his three grandchildren, Lucas Yang Brown, Landon Lee Brown, and Laura Yang Brown, all of Suwanee. His brother, Dr. James Arthur Brown (Patsy), passed away in 2021.