Billy Ross Brown, Jr., 81, died Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in Oxford. Visitation for family and friends will be held on Tuesday from noon to 2 p.m. in the parish hall at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Oxford. A private family memorial service will precede the visitation at Brown Lake with the Rev. John-Michael Van Dyke officiating. Coleman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

A sixth generation Oxford native, his father was a cotton farmer, cattle rancher and business owner and he continued in the family business. He was devoted to his family, loved his community and dedicated his life to helping Mississippi farmers. This led to his appointment by President George H. W. Bush in 1990 to the three-man Farm Credit Administration Board in Washington, D.C. He was later designated chairman and chief executive officer of the FCA by President Bill Clinton. He also served as the first chairman of the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation, making him the first board member to serve in both capacities.

After he left Washington in 1994, he served again on the First South Board until his retirement in March 2005. The First South Farm Credit Building on Van Buren Avenue in Oxford was dedicated to him and named in his honor.

He graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1956, where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He served in both the U.S. Army and the Mississippi National Guard. While with the National Guard, he led a unit to facilitate the enrollment of James Meredith at the University of Mississippi.

In his leisure time, he enjoyed fishing, especially crappie fishing in Sardis Lake and watching the Rebels play.

Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Patricia Young.

He is survived by his wife, Lynn Brown of Oxford; son, John Brown of Jackson; daughters, Tricia Lee Liberti, Ginny Brown and Maggie Fair, all of Oxford; and eight grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675 or at woundedwarriorproject.org.

Online condolences may be left on the tribute wall at www.colemanfuneralhome.com