Obituary of Roger D. Brown

Roger Davis Brown, 77, of Glastonbury and formerly of West Hartford, beloved husband of fifty years of Sally J. (Day), died Thursday, March 14, in the early evening.  Born in Newton, MA, Roger was the son of the late Dr. Harold F. Brown and Constance (Davis) Brown.  Besides his wife Sally, whom he met in Newton, Roger is survived by his sons, Jonathan and wife, Rebecca; and Dr. Jeffrey and wife, Dr. Amy, all of Glastonbury.  He is also survived by his  grandchildren Emily, Christopher, Catherine, and Andrew; as well as Michael Collier and wife Eileen, cousin Dennis Poulsen, and many relatives and friends, including Eileen Brown Lee, Sue Brown, Rosemary Cloran (Bill), Clare Hanley, Bill Saunders (Judy), Peter and Mary Mackie, Henry and Kate Faulkner and Tom Delaney, his walking buddy.  His brother, Harold F. Brown, Jr., predeceased him. 

From a young age Roger loved cats and had them as pets.  He cared deeply about animals, his family, and friends.  He kept loyal to his former school classmates and saw them throughout his life.

Roger graduated from The Park School and Browne and Nichols (1959).  He graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. (1963), M.Ed (1964), and D.Ed (1969) in Guidance and Administration.  He began his career in education in the Newton Schools before marrying Sally in 1968, and moving to West Hartford as the Guidance Department Head at Conard and Hall High Schools.  He later was a guidance counselor and math teacher, retiring from Conard H.S. in 1999.  Seeing the potential in his students, he encouraged and influenced many to achieve success in their lives.  Often Roger would see them around town, stop, and chat extensively with them.

He was a member of the West Hartford Retired Educators Association, the CEA, ARTC, and NEA.  He belonged to the Old Guard of W.H., the Asylum Hill Congregational Church, and most recently the First Church of Christ, Congregational UCC in Glastonbury.  He served on the Board of Directors of the Pastoral Counseling Center in W.H. when it was first formed.  As a teenager, Roger belonged to the Boston Skating Club where he skated in the Ice Chips shows.  During college, he belonged to the Phillips Brooks House where he volunteered in the Boston area.  One summer as a Winant Volunteer, he went to Bristol, England, working in a Boys and Girls Club and traveling in Europe.  

As a boy, Roger loved spending time in Webster, MA.  He and Sally vacationed at Sebasco Harbor Resort ME for fifty years.  They traveled to Great Britain and Bermuda, enjoyed cruises, and took a Viking cruise down the Rhine.  Their most daring adventure was to move to Florida for four years where they made good friends and enjoyed Florida.

Roger, an avid Red Sox and Patriots fan, loved the Hartford Whalers and took his sons often to the games.  He enjoyed attending their sports games and continued the tradition with his grandchildren.  He will be remembered as a kind, gentle-mannered person who loved people and was very caring to everyone whom he knew.  His family wishes to thank Dr. Jack Schmetterling, Dr. Brendan Killory, and everyone in Keepsake Village at The Hearth who cared for Roger with such love and compassion.

The family will receive friends on Friday, March 22 from 4-7 PM at the Mulryan Funeral Home, 725 Hebron Ave., Glastonbury 06033.   A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 23 at 11 AM at the First Church of Christ, Congregational UCC, 2183 Main St., Glastonbury 06033, with a reception following.  Burial will be in Newton, MA at the convenience of the family.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Boys Town, 200 Flanagan Blvd., P.O. Box 6000, Boys Town, NE 68010-9988 or to First Church in Glastonbury.