“I’m devastated at the passing of my dear and personal friend Owsley Brown Frazier,” said President James Ramsey. “Neither the University of Louisville nor the citizens of our community had a better friend than Owsley. His service and incredible generosity to the university’s academic, research and athletic programs is well documented and leaves a lasting legacy to all of us, young and old. He will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
Frazier made the largest donation to UofL in the school’s history in December. The $25 million gift brought to nearly $50 million the amount Frazier and his daughters gave to UofL.
“I give to the University of Louisville because I love it,” Frazier said at the time.
In recognition of his contributions to the university, UofL named its athletic complex on Floyd Street the Owsley Brown Frazier Cardinal Park. The College of Business building is named after his brother, the late Harry Frazier.
A UofL alumnus, Frazier was the great-grandson of George Garvin Brown, who founded Brown- Forman Corp., one of the world’s largest wine and spirit companies. He served as vice chairman of Brown-Forman until his retirement in 2000. He financed, founded and donated many of the exhibits in the Frazier History Museum in downtown Louisville.