Charles "Bill" William Brownfield Jr.

Charles William (“Bill”) Brownfield, Jr., age 85, passed away peacefully on May 4, 2026, at Cornerstone Hospice House, The Villages, Florida. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles William, Sr. and Lillian Brownfield, and his brother, John Brownfield. He is survived by his wife, Linda, his children Erin (Don) in Mountain View, CA, Christopher (Angela) in Wilmington, NC, Elizabeth in Portland, OR and Ryan (Katie) in Columbus, Ohio, and two stepdaughters, Michele in GA and Kimberly in FL. Also surviving are Bill’s brother Thomas (Cathy) in OH, Sal (Eve) in GA, and his sister Margi in VT. Bill is also survived by his six grandchildren: Brooke, Nate, Wade, Nick, Lilly, and Ellie. Bill had a brilliant and creative mind – a true Renaissance man. He was an avid reader of classics and history and he was well-versed in medical science and space exploration. Bill mesmerized his friends with colorful, animated stories of his many adventures and travels. He was a Vietnam veteran and a man of diverse talents and interests who enjoyed life keenly and was beloved by his family and friends. He attended Grandview Heights High School, where he honed his football and baseball skills, garnering a brief stint playing semi-pro baseball. He continued playing both sports at Miami University in Oxford, OH while he earned an undergraduate degree in Economics. He pledged Beta Theta Pi, where he made some of his most meaningful and lifelong treasured friendships. He was the lead singer of “Roogie and the Ravens,” a band that performed at college campuses throughout the Midwest during his college years. After graduating from Miami, Bill joined the Navy and married Mary Mosley before his assignment to Vietnam. As a Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Bill served in the Caribbean before being assigned to a mine sweeper in Vietnam. Subsequently, he was assigned to lead the Civic Action Support operations in Da Nang and defend our country during the TET Offensive. After his naval service, Bill attended George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. where he earned a Juris Doctorate degree, graduating with honors. Upon graduation, Bill and Mary moved from Arlington, VA to Bill’s hometown of Columbus, OH, where they lived for three decades, were involved with their community and church, and raised four children. Bill was an Assistant District Attorney and eventually formed his own law firm. He was a talented trial attorney who championed several high-profile court cases, including a First Amendment case heard by the Supreme Court. One of his notable accomplishments was his role in the 1976 preservation of the historic Union Station Arch, now a beloved Columbus landmark. To save it from demolition, he delivered a last-minute injunction to the construction site, dramatically halting work moments before the Arch was destroyed by a wrecking ball. Bill loved fly-fishing at Briarwood Sporting Club with his children and friends, exploring nature and hiking with his family throughout Ohio’s state parks. The family frequently vacationed in Sanibel Island, Kiawah, and visited many National Parks in the western states. He was an avid OSU Buckeye fan and an enthusiastic golfer. He painted with oils, gifted note cards to family and friends of his pencil sketches of their homes, wrote poetry, and possessed a rare musical gift of playing and composing music by ear on the piano. Having heard a song only once, without the ability to read sheet music, Bill frequently astonished listeners by playing any song on any available piano. He later married Carol Brown, and they lived for a number of years in Williamsburg, Virginia. Wherever he lived, he loved working in his garden to create beautiful spaces filled with plants and flowers—a passion he passed on to his children. In retirement, he relocated to The Villages and married Linda Rose, a longtime friend whom Bill had known for 50 years before they married. They shared sixteen loving and happy years together, enjoying driveway parties with neighbors, golf, and golf cart rides in the neighborhood, strolling nature trails, visiting museums and gardens, dinners out, and their two dogs, Riley and Maya. Bill’s love for playing the piano continued throughout his life. He was frequently found on his piano or keyboard in the home he shared with Linda, or entertaining patients and seniors in hospital lobbies and assisted living facilities. Through the ups and downs of life, Bill maintained an optimistic approach and a generous, enthusiastic spirit. Bill was many things to many people – fiercely protective, deeply loving, unwaveringly loyal and a reverence for nature. He will be dearly missed, but his legacy lives on in the values he imparted to his family and friends through his wisdom, love, and laughter. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Beyers Funeral Home, 134 N. Hwy 27/441, Lady Lake, FL.

Charles "Bill" William Brownfield Jr.

March 30, 1941 - May 4, 2026