John Brown III, co-founder of RJ Bentley’s whose presence left a mark on College Park and beyond, died on Nov. 9 of heart failure. He was 77.

Brown, who also served as chair of the Maryland Stadium Authority, was largely remembered by his commitment to community. He is survived by his wife, former wife, three children, two stepchildren and seven grandchildren, the Baltimore Sun reported.

After graduating from the University of Maryland in 1973 with a business degree, Brown became an ardent supporter of this university.

He served on the board of directors for the business school’s alumni chapter, the board of governors for this university’s alumni association and was involved with the Medical Systems board. He was also president of the Terrapin Club, The Baltimore Sun reported.

During a speech before this university’s Friday basketball game against Marquette University, ESPN anchor and university alum Scott Van Pelt remembered Brown as “the unofficial mayor of College Park.”

Van Pelt, who has known Brown for years, said Brown made everyone feel welcome at RJ Bentley’s, whether they were a longtime local or a first-time visitor.

Maryland baseball coach Matt Swope said Brown was a “great person for the community” and a legend in College Park.

Swope was a student athlete at this university when he met Brown. Their relationship grew as he returned to work for the baseball program in 2013.

“He was someone I looked up to,” Swope said. “No matter what you asked for … [he] was always just there to help.”

Brown showed support to the Maryland baseball team by helping with fundraisers and adding baseball jerseys to the walls of RJ Bentley’s, Swope said. These efforts were a testament to his character, the coach added.

“For me, it’s just his willingness to help not just athletes, but anybody,” Swope said. “Someone that you could always look to be supportive.”

Ivy Aquilina, a server and bartender at RJ Bentley’s, said Brown always had a significant presence in the community. Customers would often ask if Brown was in the restaurant, some giving letters of gratitude to send to the owner, the junior marketing major said.

Aquilina said Brown made it a priority to give back to the College Park community. It was Brown’s idea for some members of the staff to assemble sandwiches on Wednesdays for donations, she said.

“It’s so much more than a college bar,” she said.

Aquilina described Brown as “a very giving, kind person who loved and cherished this area.” Everything that he did for the College Park community was impactful, she said.

In the days after Brown’s passing, RJ Bentley’s was filled with his family, friends and other community members. The restaurant became a place of reflection and celebration of his life, according to Aquilina.

Brown’s passing marked a difficult day for the employees and patrons of RJ Bentley’s, Aquilina said. Their reaction showed just how impactful Brown was, she said.

Aquilina said she interacted with Brown a handful of times because he wanted to get to know everyone who worked at RJ Bentley’s.

“Even though I didn’t know him very well, I strive to keep his legacy,” Aquilina said. “I will pride myself in doing my best every day, treating everyone that comes through those doors with respect and make their time as enjoyable as possible.”

Many alumni took to X, formerly Twitter, and other social media platforms to share their memories of Brown and the time they spent in RJ Bentley’s.

NBC sportscaster and university alum Jimmy Roberts shared in an X post on Nov. 10 that he was one of the original employees at RJ Bentleys and remained friends with Brown for 45 years.

“He danced at my wedding — it wasn’t pretty — but he was there for us … like he was for so many,” Roberts wrote in the post. “Gonna miss you John Brown.”

A celebration of Brown’s life has been planned for Dec. 3 from 6 to 9 p.m at RJ Bentley’s.

“Next time Maryland has a big win … We know what to do,” Van Pelt said during his speech. “Let’s go to Bentley’s.”