In 1998, Brown and Phyllis George divorced. Life never ceases to offer new opportunities if you look forward instead of backwards. I worked hard for my money, he said. Kentucky's largest locally owned flooring company. Republican Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles, who is running for governor in 2023, said he was deeply saddened to learn about Browns death. Unit. In the midst of her passing, her ex-husband former Governor John Y Brown Jr revealed the type of relationship the duo shared while they were married giving us a bit of insight into their time together. I see the governors role as that of chief executive, the maker of policy, and manager of finances, he said in a 1981 interview. A daughter, Pamela Brown, is a newscaster with CNN. Brown Jr. married his second beauty queen over the weekend in an evening ceremony beneath a canopy of arching tree branches at his rural estate. He was a true Kentucky original who beamed with pride for his home state and its people. He served as the 55th governor of Kentucky from 1979 to 1983, and built Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) into a multimillion-dollar restaurant chain. A year later, his name surfaced in reports about another federal investigation of drugs and gambling in central Kentucky that eventually touched some of his friends, but not him. Mr. Browns father, John Y. Tomorrow night he and his first wife, Ellie, will be honored at the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame for their co-ownership of the old American Basketball Association's Kentucky Colonels. Brown Jr., a born salesman who became a multimillionaire by transforming Kentucky Fried Chicken into a global brand and then sold himself to voters in a six-week TV blitz to become Kentuckys governor, serving one term, died on Monday in Lexington, Ky. John Y. Some of Browns friends were involved in a cocaine and gun-smuggling ring that was the subject of a 1990 book called The Bluegrass Conspiracy. Brown was never accused of any wrongdoing. Brown was forced to trim the state budget four times, for a total of more than$600 million in planned expenditures. A rate that's guaranteed to stay below the Prime Rate.' Before the wedding, Brown characterized his life as "a book of many chapters. Those who know him well say that Brown, who once turned a variety of secret herbs and spices into a multimillion-dollar fried chicken empire, now has a new recipe for happiness. Jill is a register agent, director at Jill L Brown, Pa. Mr. Brown in 1981 at a formal event in New York City with his wife at the time, Phyllis George, the CBS sportscaster and former Miss America. He was wed to another beauty queen, former Mrs. Kentucky, Jill Louise Roach. Andy Beshear said Brown was "a remarkable leader who was committed to serving the people of Kentucky. This was a dramatic change in state government., Governing in difficult economic times and refusing to raise taxes forced Brown to lay off many state workers, said Wellman. Brown III, who served two terms as secretary of state before disavowing politics. 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). A businessman first and a politician second, Brown ran his administration much more like a business, appointing successful businesspeople to state posts instead of political appointments. . But Mr. Brown had the bad luck to take office as a recession was tightening its grip and tax revenues were dropping. And like his opponents in 1979, Brown appeared to be without an effective answer to Wilkinsons closing drive. "And it meant a lot to us. Title: BROWN MARRIES FORMER MRS. KY. Subject: Brown, John Y. Jr. ROACH, JILL LOUISE: Contributors: Kentucky Enquirer: Date: 1998-08-31: Citation: Kentucky Enquirer . John Y. Brown Jr., an 'unorthodox' governor who made fried chicken Kentucky Governor John Y. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. "If anyone runs, it'll be (Jill)," the silver- haired ex-governor said. Unlike conventional candidates, he ignored the Democratic power structure and its county chieftains, defeatingLouisville Mayor Harvey Sloane by about 25,000 votes. He did ruin it. They had three children, Eleanor and Sandra Brownand John Y. In . Brown, Jr. was born on December 28, 1933 in Lexington, Kentucky. Brown Jr. - Wikipedia - wikipedia.org. Gerth column:Erika Shields was the wrong person for the job. The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky Page 11 John Y Brown Jr., when he was inducted into the Kentucky Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame. Facebook gives people the power to share. View the profiles of people named Jill Roach. Brown Jr. was married it was a celebrity-sprinkled wedding in a fashionable New York City church and his bride was Phyllis George, a former Miss America. Opponents saidhe was a better promoter than manager. He also founded a roasted-chicken restaurant chain with the country music star Kenny Rogers, calling it Kenny Rogers Roasters. He was also a high-stakes gambler, a habit that rivals would wield against him. Brown Sr., a prominent trial lawyer and politician and Dorothy Inman Brown, who is also deceased. Swornintothat officeon Dec. 11, 1979, Brownpromised fiscal restraint. It reminds me of (a) high school (romance)," Madden said. Auerbach then flipped those picks to the Golden State Warriors for center Robert Parish and the No. He was 88. We just happened to put it back together again, luckily.. Mr. Brown is survived by three children from his first marriage, Sissy Brown, Sandra Brown Steier and John Y. . In 1969 a group headed by Brownthat included Humana co-founder Wendell Cherrypurchased controlling interest in theAmerican Basketball AssociationsLouisville-basedColonels. John Y. Kentucky's governor from 1979-83, Brown made a financial killing before he entered politics with the $2 million purchase of Kentucky Fried Chicken from Col. Harland Sanders in 1964. Brown III, added to the familys political lineage by winning election as Kentucky secretary of state in 1995. His career as an investor had continued after his purchase of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Brown Jr., KFC Mogul and Kentucky Governor, Dies at 88, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/25/us/john-y-brown-jr-dead.html. John Y. Visitation will be Tuesday, Nov. 29, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. That slogan, with the celebrity status of his new wife, Phyllis George, propelled Brown into the governors office. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The service took place at the. Under the slogan Kentucky & Co. The state thats run like a business, Brownpitched Kentuckyfrom coast to coast. So when you go on vacation, just call our Customer service Llepartment and tell them C"l IIH mb you want to donate your newspapers to the Newspaper In Education Class Act program. Brown Sr., who served as speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives and a member of the state legislature for over 30 years. He then told The Boston Globe he wanted only to get my two cents in. 2023 www.courier-journal.com. Brown was the son of former Congressman John Y. Brown that year was wed a third time to another beauty queen, former Mrs. Kentucky, Jill Louise Roach, who was 27 years his junior. John Y. Brown, Jr. - Interesting stories about famous people He and George were divorced in 1998. 1980)Daughter: Pamela (b. His time in office was much to be admired. Take a vacation and make a donation to local scnoois. Brown, Jr at Wikimedia Commons. By Jack Brammer I think it will change my life, and it needed to be changed. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). While investigators took no action against Brown, the probedrew attention to hisoccasional plungesintohigh-stakes gambling. Jill Roach Brown, Pompano Beach Public Records Instantly Ironically, the new Mrs. Brown once wrote in a college paper at Eastern Kentucky University that her ambition was to become Kentucky's governor. [Slideshow, Video] Distillery Starts Producing Paducah's First Bourbon Since Prohibition. Many of us first learned of Gov. }Customer Service. In his campaigns, John Y. The Brown family will host a public visitation in the Rotunda from 3-7 p.m. A private memorial service will held at the State Capitol building on Wednesday. At that time, he moved back to Lexington from Florida. He got high marks for keeping the state solvent, but thousands of state employees lost their jobs, and they took it out on him in his future races. Brown Sr., who served as speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives and a member of the state legislature for over 30 years. I was a Southerner. The marriage lasted less than five years. Brown Jr. painted his father as the victim of machine politics who never enjoyed the success orrecognitionhe was due. In 1979, Brown self-funded his campaign for governor and won, serving until 1983. I knew I wasnt going to win that battle [with Auerbach]. He then got involved in other business ventures before and after his four -- Newspaper In Education ClasscgG The Class Act program helps bring newspapers to the classroom. August 29, 1998Former Gov. It was the second marriage for Roach, also a beauty queen, crowned Mrs. Kentucky in 1988. He was involved in professional sports businesses, investing in the Boston Celtics and the now-defunct Kentucky Colonels. Phyllis George: Competing in the Talk-Show Pageant 74.91.126.151 Ferrell Wellman, a former TV reporter for WAVE in Louisville, covered the entire Brown administration. John Y. Brown Jr. Facts for Kids | KidzSearch.com And they said he sometimes lost his focus, such as when heunsuccessfullyattemptedto oust Fran Curci as UK football coach. Brown sold the team in 1979. Brown through his business leadership, said McConnell. Soon after selling the Celtics, Mr. Brown, who had been a leading Democratic fund-raiser, announced his intention to make a late run for governor in Kentucky. Mr. Brown was married three times. Hobbled by a recession, Mr. Brown compiled a mixed record as the states chief executive. Ironically, whenhe ranfor a second term in 1987, hoping to succeed Kentuckys first woman governor, Martha Layne Collins, he fell victim to a campaign that had overtones of his 1979 race. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Brown Jr. and his bride, Jill Roach, shared a light moment during their ceremony at Cave Hill, Brown's residence in Lexington. Join Facebook to connect with Jill Roach and others you may know. Mike Breaux, senior minister at Southland Christian Church. Brown Jr. married his second beauty . Brown Jr., thedashingmultimillionaire who built Kentucky Fried Chicken into an international success, thenwonKentuckys governorshipina whirlwind campaignwith his celebrity wife,formerMiss America Phyllis George,by his side, has died.