Lyman Brownfield; Housing Official, Nixon Friend

Lyman Brownfield, 87, a friend of President Richard M. Nixon and the former general counsel of the Federal Housing Administration. Brownfield was Nixon’s roommate when they attended Duke University Law School in Durham, N.C. He graduated second in their class of 44 people, one place ahead of Nixon. Brownfield, who remained Nixon’s friend, practiced law in Columbus, Ohio, for more than 60 years. He declined an invitation to become active in the 1952 presidential campaign team of President Dwight D. Eisenhower with Nixon as his running mate. But Brownfield did accept the FHA position at Nixon’s urging in 1959, and served two years. The lawyer had also served as a staff judge advocate for the occupation of Japan after World War II. On Monday in Columbus.