John Y. Brown Jr. obituary: KFC owner dies at 88 - Legacy.com And he had a lot of ideas and a lot of contacts. Brown tried to make a political comeback in 1987 but failed to win the Democratic partys nomination for governor. Fmr. A strong media campaign funded by his personal fortune allowed him to win the Democratic primary and go on to defeat former Republican governor Louie B. Nunn in the general election. [23] Babe McCarthy lasted only one season as Mullaney's replacement; in 1975, Brown hired Hubie Brown as head coach. [9] He got his wife involved in managing a barbecue restaurant; upon seeing its success, he became convinced of the financial potential of the fast food industry.
The Tragic, Real-Life Story Of Colonel Sanders - Mashed.com [26], Although he had been hailed as a hero, first for saving the Colonels from moving to Cincinnati and then for bringing a championship to Louisville, Brown came under intense public criticism following the Colonels' championship season for selling the rights to center Dan Issel to the Baltimore Claws in a cost-saving move. [67] After a brief legal fight over whether the proceedings should take place in Kentucky or Florida, the divorce became final in 1998. [2][5] During one summer, his father expressed disappointment that he had decided to spend the summer selling vacuum cleaners instead of working on a road construction crew with the rest of his football teammates. [59] He entered the race late filing his candidacy papers in late February before the primary election in late May. }); "I think we enjoyed every single day.". 19601977 24 Feb. 2023
. He was a sound steward of the commonwealths resources, but he was not a leader who proposed new programs in areas such as education or human resources, Mary K. Bonsteel Tachau and Bruce L. McClure wrote in Kentuckys Governors (1985). Referring to the 1987 Democratic gubernatorial primary campaign, Brown continued, "He said things that were not true, like we had raised taxes. Brown Jr., an entrepreneur who built Kentucky Fried Chicken into a powerhouse brand, co-owned . [30], The following year, Brown traded franchises with Boston Celtics owner Irv Levin. ", See also:Those we've lost to the coronavirus in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. In the first, he swapped reigning Rookie of the Year Adrian Dantley for the Indiana Pacers' Billy Knight, who was second in the league in scoring the previous season. John Sr. was a trial lawyer who served one term in the U.S. House of Representatives in the mid-1930s and was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives for several decades. John Y. Brown Jr. - National Governors Association Brown's family said in a release Tuesday that "every day was an exciting . He was a state representative for nearly three decades, serving one term as speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives and as majority floor leader during the term of Governor Edward T. Breathitt. The companys rapid expansion across the United States and overseas became overwhelming for Sanders. Brown Jr., who became Kentucky's governor after building empires in business and sports, has died. He served as the 55th governor of Kentucky from 1979 to 1983, although he may be best known for building Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) into a multi-million dollar restaurant chain. In the 1970s, Brown purchased ownership stakes in several professional basketball teams. But it was her 1979 marriage to Brown, aself-made millionaire and Kentucky Fried Chicken magnate, that brought her to Kentucky and thrust her into the political spotlightwhen he decided, just 10 days after their New York wedding, to run forgovernor in his home state. [38] He was a member of the Young Leadership Council of the Democratic National Committee, and was named honorary chairman of the National Democratic Party in 1972. hitType: 'event', [63] Brown expanded several other restaurants including Miami Subs, Texas Roadhouse, and Roadhouse Grill. Brown Jr.". While Brown served as governor from 1979 to 1983, his business ventures, sports ownerships and marriage Phyllis George are what he might be remembered for most. During her four years as first lady, George also oversaw and helped raise money to renovate the aging Governor's Mansion on the grounds of the Capitol. John Y. The flagship store opened in Tates Creek Centre in Lexington, and a second store was opened in New Jersey. "Kentucky Governor John Y. [2][15] Of the 340-outlet beer-and-hot-dog chain, Brown said "they did not have very good food. Brown, former Kentucky governor and Kentucky Fried Chicken owner, dies", "Former Gov. In 1964, then 73 years old, he sold the company to a group of investors led by John Y. [6] Keeping a campaign promise to appoint a woman and an African-American to his cabinet, Brown named William E. McAnulty Jr., and Jacqueline Swigart to his cabinet. [43] The Department of Buildings and Construction's preliminary report stated "If this was a privately operated structure, this office would have no alternative other than to give the operator 30 to 60 days to rewire the structure. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ She would later say that was one of the toughest times in her professional life. hitType: 'event', Brown Jr. dies", "John Y. Who's Kentucky's new first lady? [59], Following his unsuccessful run for the governorship in 1987, Brown resumed his career in the restaurant industry. [65] Brown then took Roasters public and grew it to a chain of more than 1,000 restaurants before selling his interest in the franchise to the Malaysia-based Berjaya Group in 1996. Kirkpatrick and Papanek, "Scouting Reports". John Y. Brown Jr., KFC Mogul and Kentucky Governor, Dies at 88 "[68], In 1997, Brown agreed to be co-chairman of Governor Paul E. Patton's Council on Domestic Violence along with Patton's wife, Judi. Brown was governor of Kentucky from 1979 to 1983 and is credited with making KFC a worldwide and household name. Brown's Empire Stretches Across the Nation", "Former Kentucky Gov. What does Lo Debar represent in the Bible? Business Interests: In 1986 Phyllis herself jumped into the. [13] Later that year, he considered running for the U.S. Senate, but decided against it once former governor Louie Nunn entered the race. [33] The move turned Boston fans against Brown, both because Kunnert and Washington were seen as key pieces of the team's future and because team president and legendary former coach Red Auerbach publicly stated that he was not consulted about the trade. "I was blessed to know Phyllis and her family. [13], On March 27, 1979, Brown interrupted his honeymoon with Phyllis George to announce his candidacy for governor of Kentucky. Brown, Jr. passed away last week. 1977); m. Robert Moore; children: 3, including John Young Brown III (Kentucky Secretary of State ). Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. In 1971, Brown sold KFC to Heublein Inc. for $285 million. Casting himself as the maker of policy and manager of finances, he sought to attract investment by promoting Kentucky & Co. as the state thats run like a business. But to keep the state solvent, he had to shrink the government payroll by thousands of employees while trying to avoid major reductions in services. John Y. She later married John Y. [2] After high school, Brown matriculated at the University of Kentucky, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1957 and a law degree in 1960. U.S. Federal News Service. His marriage to Ms. George, in 1979, also ended in divorce, in 1998. John Brown ran Stryker Corp., a medical device and software company, for 32 years before retiring as chairman in 2009. He was born in Lexington in 1933 and was the son of former U.S. Rep. John Y. Andy Beshear has directed that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff in Browns honor until sunset on the day of interment. Born Eleanor Bennett Durrall, Feb 11, 1940, in Central City, KY; m. John Y. Former Kentucky governor and businessman John Y. Brown dies "John Young Brown Jr. Hall of Distinguished Alumni. The Washington Post described them as "Phyllis of the multimillion-dollar smile, and John Y., of the multimillion-dollar checkbook" in a 1979 story about Brown's campaign. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of Despite her popularity, George also drew criticism from being overly involved in the campaign and having too prominent a role at at time when most candidates' wives stayed in the background. John Y. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- John Y. John Y. Georgia governor and U.S. senator Joseph Emerson Brown (1821-1894) is chiefly remembered for his political, James Brown 1951 During his tenure, Brown exerted less influence over the legislature than previous governors and was frequently absent from the state, leaving Lieutenant Governor Martha Layne Collins as acting governor for more than one-quarter of his term. media-tech companies with hubs around the world. [52] Among his other accomplishments as governor were the implementation of competitive bidding for government contracts and passage of a weight-distance tax on trucks. Switched to FOX While he was lying in state, John Y Brown jr was in a Kentucky-flag-draped casket, but it was switched to an American flag as the state police honor guard carried him to the hearse because of his time served in the military. "[73] However, when Beshear was reelected in 2011, Brown did serve as inauguration co-chair with the other former governors. [30] The Braves had posted a dismal 3052 record in the 197576 season, and Brown immediately set out to make moves that would improve the franchise's fortunes in the next season. Brown Jr.". [13] The Louisville Junior Chamber of Commerce honored him as Louisville's Outstanding Young Man in 1969, and he was inducted into the University of Kentucky Alumni Association Hall of Distinguished Alumni on November 6, 1970.[13]. }); Former Kentucky first lady and Miss America Phyllis Ann George passed away at the age of 70 on Friday, May 15. "Law Hall of Fame Announced, Alumni Honored". In 1971, Heublein Inc. acquired KFC for $285 million. GENRE: Poetry