Check for $152,000 donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Benjamin Roy Brown, 67, of Sallisaw, was a long-haul truck driver who died last year from health problems, friends said.

Before he died he left instructions to his two friends in Greenwood on how he wanted them to donate $152,000 to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

His friends were not surprised he had the money.

"He was pretty good about putting money in savings. He didn't make much. But in his trust he wrote out that he wanted everything he had, house, and everything sold and all of the proceeds to go to St. Jude," said Sue Gilliaum of Greenwood. Brown worked with Sue's husband Paul who a truck driver.

Sue Gilliaum said after Brown died Jan. 30, 2021, they prepared to carry out Brown's wishes. They wanted to take the donation to St. Jude in Memphis right away, but due to the pandemic, the trip was delayed.

On Sept. 8, Paul and Sue made the donation in Memphis.

Brown had told people before he died that he thought St. Jude's "was a good place," but he had not given any other specific reason to make the check out to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

"He just wanted to give it to a place that was deserving of it," Sue Gilliaum said.

Brown grew up in Greenwood and attended school there, she said.

Paul Gilliaum said Brown was a "very caring man," had a good sense of humor and hard-working truck driver.

Sue Gilliaum said, "They had a lot of fun on the road. They made their coffee in the trucks. They made better coffee than truck stop coffee." She never tried it though, riding along was not allowed.

She said he had asked that they take the donation to delivery in-person and to make sure to get a photograph with an oversized check.

Brown was cremated. He did not want a service or an obituary.

"He was kind of private about that. But that is what he did," Sue said.

She said he bought an acreage outside of Sallisaw where he spend time.She said the St. Jude staff was very grateful for the donation.

"It might not be a huge amount but it can help one family," Sue said. She said she was told by St. Jude officials that it can also be used for food and clothing programs for families. He had said he wanted his ashes spread along Interstate 40 on the way to Memphis.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Sallisaw, Okla. man makes donation to St. Judge Children's