Jesse Neal Browder

Jesse Neal Browder, age 88 of Elberton, died on June 18, 2016.

A native of Athens, he delivered the Athens Banner Herald from his bicycle before school each day. Neal graduated from Columbia Military Academy, Columbia, TN as a first lieutenant in the Officer Corps, and then enlisted in the US Army as a Drill Sergeant at Fort Knox, KY for the remainder of WWII. Neal obtained several degrees from Weber State, Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia. He was a nuclear safety engineer for the Savannah River project in Aiken, SC and a safety engineer on the ICBM Titan 1 missile project in Denver, CO. Neal retired from Georgia Public Broadcasting in Atlanta and Athens, and then obtained his real estate license and brokered his own company, The Jesse Neal Browder Company. He was a Master Mason and 32nd degree Scottish Rite Freemason Valley of Atlanta. He was a member of the Lt. Dickson L. Baker camp 926, Sons of Confederate Veterans, Hartwell, GA. He loved his HAM radio, and set up phone patches during the Vietnam War from hospital ships USS Hope and USS Sanctuary so that families could talk to their wounded loved ones.

He is survived by his wife, Nelle Peppers-Browder of Elberton; daughter, Mary Browder Street of Social Circle, GA; granddaughter, Jessica Nicole Browder of Decatur, GA and Asheville, NC; and Nelle’s children: Kathy Peppers, Kurt and Laura Peppers, and Keith Peppers.

There will be no funeral or memorial services, as he has donated his body to the Department of Cellular Biology at The Medical College of GA in Augusta.

In memory of Jesse Neal Browder, donations may be made to the college student of your choice.
He was always a strong advocate for everyone obtaining a good education.

He wrote this obituary himself on August 18, 2011. He and Nelle were members of The Atlanta Opera. “Don’t Cry for me Argentina” was his favorite.

Those desiring may sign the online guest register at www.berryfh.com.

Berry Funeral Home & Crematory of Elberton is assisting the Browder and Peppers families.