Samuel “Sam” Alexander Brown, 71, of Pinehurst, passed away Tuesday, March 18, 2014.

Sam was born March 1, 1943 in Adel, Georgia to the late Samuel Buie Brown and Dona Scoggins Brown. The family moved to North Carolina in 1944. He attended Sanford Central High School in Sanford, NC and graduated in 1961. He attended NC State University, Campbell University, and ultimately East Carolina University in earning his undergraduate in Business Administration in 1967. He went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Business at East Carolina University in 1969.

Sam followed his father into the real estate profession and became Property Sales Manager at Carolina Trace in the late 1970s. After running his own real estate company in Sanford for a few years, Sam worked at Foxfire Resort and Pinehurst Properties - also in the real estate department.

In 1987, Sam opened up his own real estate company in downtown Pinehurst - The Property Center of Pinehurst, and ultimately renamed it The Real Estate Center of Pinehurst.

Sam is survived by his wife of 27 years Betty “Bunny” Shaw Brown, sons Samuel Buchanan Brown (44) of Mooresville, NC; Alexander Shaw Brown (25) of Pinehurst; daughter Mary “Molly” Jenett Jaillet (38) of Pinehurst; son-in-law Master Sgt. Richard “Zeb” Jaillet (37) of Pinehurst; daughter-in-law Rhonda Harrill Brown (43) of Mooresville and five grandchildren (Morgan Brown, Madison Brown, Olivia Brown, Ally Jaillet, and Sawyer Jaillet); brother William Timothy Brown of Johnson City, TN and sister Dona “Dian” Brown of Sanford.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to your local animal shelter or the Hospice House of FirstHealth of the Carolinas.