OKLAHOMA CITY -- William C. Brown, the founder of Oklahoma City-based 7-Eleven Stores, died Aug. 25 at age 89.
Brown was born July 27, 1927, in Brooklyn, N.Y., the only son of Ethel Mae (Ryan) Brown and William J. Brown. He attended the University of Notre Dame both before and after an enlistment in the Navy at the end of World War II.
While at Notre Dame, he met his future wife, Carol Morin, and they married in 1949. Brown worked for a few years in San Antonio before moving to Oklahoma City with Carol in 1952. There, they raised a family of eight children and launched their 7-Eleven business.
The more than 100 convenience stores owned and operated by 7-Eleven Stores of Oklahoma are the only independently owned stores that carry the 7-Eleven brand, because of a special arrangement made in 1953 between Brown and 7-Eleven Inc., now based in Irving, Texas.
This means the Oklahoma stores are neither licensees nor franchisees of the national chain, but totally independent. The Oklahoma chain offers Icy Drink instead of Slurpee and runs its own bakery, Seventh Heaven. It also runs its own full-service distribution center known as DistribuQuik, along with Payphone Co. and MovieQuik, its proprietary movie-rental operation.
“More than 60 years ago my parents, Bill and Carol Brown, moved their young family to Oklahoma City with an emerging business idea: a chain of conveniently located stores that stocked all the things you want or need in the moment, from ice and refreshments to basic grocery staples. Family friends in Dallas, the Thompsons, had begun developing the 7-Eleven idea, and our family set out to do likewise in central Oklahoma,” said Jim Brown, president and CEO of 7-Eleven Stores, on the company’s website.
Chet Cadieux, CEO of Tulsa, Okla.-based convenience-store chain QuikTrip Corp., praised Brown as an early leader in the convenience-store industry.
“He was one of the earliest guys who figured it out. He figured it out a long time before we did,” Cadieux told The Oklahoman. “Everyone else learned from Bill. He was an amazing man. On behalf of QuikTrip, we're grateful for what he taught us. We wouldn't be the success we are today were it not for Bill Brown.”
Brown also served as president of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) from 1975 to 1976.
The Browns are supporters of numerous local, national and international charities, including the Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity, Great Expectations Foundation of Tahlequah, Okla., and various Catholic Charities nationally and internationally.
In 2014, Brown was awarded the "Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice" or the Cross of Honor by Pope Francis, presented by Archbishop Coakley. It is the highest medal that can be awarded to the laity by the Pope.
Brown was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Joy; and his wife of more than 62 years, Carol. He is survived by his sister Pat; eight children and spouses, Kathy and Tom Ryan, Bill and Gil Brown, Steve and Sara Brown, Carol Morrissette, Jim and Jill Brown, Bob Brown, Patti and Eric McGraw and Barbara and Brett Willis; 28 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
CSP sends condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.
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