Andrew Wallace "Wally" Brown, Jr.
Aug. 22, 1944-Jan. 20, 2026
Pleasanton, California

Andrew Wallace “Wally” Brown, Jr. August 22, 1944 – January 20, 2026 Pleasanton, California

Wally Brown passed away on January 20, 2026, due to complications from pneumonia that he never even realized he had. He was surrounded by the love of his kids and grandkids throughout the sudden and unexpected battle.

One of a kind. A character. Larger than life. A Northern California insurance icon. Those are the terms that many people who knew Wally used to describe him, which caused many around him to joke that it seemed Wally just may live forever as he attacked each day with passion and positivity.

An Oakland native, Wally graduated from Bishop O’Dowd High School in 1962 and Santa Clara University in 1966 with a degree in economics. He was also involved in ROTC and served in South Korea in 1967, where he had responsibility for 30 men as a platoon leader. He finished his tour of duty as a first lieutenant stationed at the Oakland Army Base before beginning a nearly 60-year career as a commercial insurance broker.

Wally joined the small insurance agency that his grandfather founded, The Joseph L. Bobba Agency, and proceeded to grow the business into a prominent Bay Area insurance brokerage firm. In 1987, he sold the company to Arthur J. Gallagher out of Chicago and continued to serve as president of the branch for 20 more years. During that time, he won the company’s premier award, Branch Manager of the Year, a then record three times. In 1989, Wally served as president of the Western Association of Insurance Brokers (WAIB), which became known as the Insurance Brokers and Agents of the West (IBA West). In 2007, he left to join Edgewood Partners Insurance Center (EPIC), an upstart insurance brokerage and, as a testament to his leadership and connection with his team, most of his colleagues followed him. Wally was a senior leader at EPIC as it grew into a billion-dollar business before retiring at the end of 2025.

Wally spent most of his life in Pleasanton, where he was a longtime member at Castlewood Country Club. He won the club tennis championship in singles, doubles and mixed doubles before taking up golf, which became his life’s passion, along with traveling and enjoying great wine and food with his family and friends. Over the past few decades, he also spent part of the year in La Quinta, where he was a founding member at Andalusia Country Club. He was married for more than 50 years to his college sweetheart, Julie Decker Brown. Although they eventually divorced, they remained amicable and celebrated holidays together with their children and grandchildren.

Wally is survived by his three children, Christine Brown Desjarlais (John), Katy Brown Troftgruben (Troy), and Michael Brown (Sarah Romero); four grandchildren – James and Elise Desjarlais, Terra Troftgruben and Ava Brown – and two step-grandchildren, Ethan and Nick Troftgruben.

Wally’s life will be celebrated at noon on Saturday, March 7th at a memorial service at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Pleasanton.

Tags: business