Brakebill brought CBT to UT

Sandra ClarkLoudon, Obits

Celebration of life honoring the late Charles F. Brakebill will be 7 p.m. Monday, February 21, in the Clarence Brown Theatre on the campus of the University of Tennessee. Those attending should wear a mask and confirm attendance here.

Mr. Brakebill, 97, passed away peacefully at home on February 4, 2022. A graveside service was held Feb. 15 at East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery on Lyons View Pike. A link to his full obituary is here, but we are repeating much of it below – an American story.

Charlie grew up on the family farm in Monroe County, graduated from Madisonville High School in 1942. He would always remember his roots and friends from Monroe County. After graduation, he entered what would become a lifelong bond with the University of Tennessee when he enrolled to study agriculture. Charlie married Joyce Droke of Memphis, on June 5, 1948. They began their life together in Loudon, Tennessee, where Joyce worked as a secretary at Loudon High School while Charlie taught vocational agriculture. Charlie loved teaching and quite often received calls from former students.

Charlie’s proud military career began with his enlistment and call to active duty during WWII in April 1943. It was during this time that he would meet Ed Boling and begin their 72-year friendship while participating in the Army Specialized Training Program.

From there, Brakebill proceeded to basic training, and that September, he landed on Omaha Beach. Walking uphill to the sight of 15,000 fresh graves was something he never forgot.

His unit was assigned to Rennes, France, to help rebuild the city and guard German POWs. Following the end of the European war, Charlie returned home – sailing past the Statue of Liberty on July 4, 1945 – to prepare for deployment to Japan. He was in Washington D.C. when he learned of the Japanese surrender and celebrated with the crowd as they listened to President Truman’s address.

Charlie returned home to finish his degree and received a commission from the first Air Force ROTC program at UT. He joined the 134th Air National Guard Unit out of McGhee Tyson which led to two more calls to active duty: one in Korea and the other at Ramstein Air Base in Germany during the Berlin Crisis.

When Charlie came home from Germany in 1962, Ed Boling and Andy Holt persuaded him to come to UT and start the school’s development program as executive director. Throughout his life, Charlie was focused on relationships; this was especially true of his work at UT. He mentored numerous staff members on the importance of building connections and careful attention to details. He started the deferred giving program in 1967 and helped build The Development Council for Corporate Leaders.

Charlie and Joyce worked tirelessly across the state on all campuses, and he was instrumental in bringing the University of Chattanooga into the UT family. For many years, he served with the Big Ten Fund Raisers Institute on Mackinac Island. When he retired as vice president of development and alumni affairs after a 35-year career of service to UT, this program was considered one of the most successful in the United States.

Charlie was always quick to acknowledge that he and Joyce worked as a team, and nothing illustrates this more than their work establishing the Clarence Brown Theatre. They developed a close relationship with MGM Director Clarence Brown and his wife, Marian. The Browns’ bequest to the school established the university’s home for the performing arts.

Charlie delighted in seeing the program grow and expand. He loved conversing with the students, attending shows and serving on the board. In many ways, the students, administrators, board and employees of the Clarence Brown Theater became more than just a piece of his legacy. They were part of his family.

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