|
Hamilton Frank Brown
February 12, 1942 - April 17, 2020
Hamilton Frank Brown was born on February 12, 1942 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Throughout the 1940s and early1950s, Hamilton followed his family to a variety of locations and venues from the glass and steel town of Jeannette, Pennsylvania; to a farm in Scotia, New York that had a 300-year old Dutch barn; to a replica 18th century house adjacent to the Governor’s Palace in Virginia’s Colonial Williamsburg.
In 1952, his family moved to Grosse Pointe, Michigan where he attended junior high and high school, graduating in 1960. At school, he enjoyed academic, athletic, musical and political success as an Honor Roll student; as a three-year member of the League Champion track team and a member of several record-setting relay teams; as an orchestra member for both violin and viola; and as an elected officer of both the HI-Y service organization and his class.
Following high school, Hamilton attended Hamilton College in Clinton, New York. During his four years, he again distinguished himself in a variety of fields--academic, athletic and musical. He received a B.A. in English Literature in 1964. Athletically, he was a four-year member of the track team and member of the state champion mile relay team in 1961.
After graduation, he chose to attend Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut. While pursuing his degree, he served as the youth minister at Warburton Community Church in Hartford. With a degree of Master of Divinity, he relocated to Lowell, Massachusetts where he served again as youth minister in a local parish.
He next moved to Grace House in Richmond, Virginia—a church-affiliated community-service center that provided food, medical assistance, education and recreational opportunities to local residents. Returning to school, he enrolled at George Washington University in Washington, DC to obtain a Masters Degree in Public Administration.
Having obtained his degree, Hamilton chose to stay in Washington and work for organizations that served rural and small town community interests. At both the National Association of Towns and Townships and the National Association of Rural Utility Coops, Hamilton established close working relationships with town and county executives, as well as managers of rural coops through personal visits. He was also the author of a number of studies and guides for local officials regarding federal energy and water programs and funding options.
In 2010, he was involved in an automobile accident that would severely alter his life and the routines that had governed it for decades. He suffered injuries to both body and brain that dramatically restricted his activities of previous years. Consistent with the athletic and mental dedication he had shown throughout his life, Hamilton worked diligently to recover as much strength and mobility as he could. He acquired a recumbent bike and swam at a local pool and worked with a gifted physical therapist.
He was the long time occupant of an assisted living facility where he was much-loved by other residents and by the entire staff from nurses to kitchen aides. He also continued his pastoral work with periodic services for the community.
Given the progressive loss of stamina over the past several years, Hamilton was susceptible to the dangers of the current pandemic that struck with sudden finality on April 17. In the memory of friends and family, Hamilton was the lover of literature; of music in all its guises and eras; of all distances of running from sprints to marathons; and of classic cars of the 1950s.
For all those who knew Hamilton Brown over the years, each recollection is one of affection for his versatility, his intelligence and his kindness. He is survived by a son, Christian; a daughter, Aileen; his long-time wife, Susan Hennessy; and a twin brother, Holmes.
|
Sharon P. Haas (Flynn)
I have very fond memories of Ham and Holmes in jr. high.May he rest in peace.
Ronald B. Schram
Holmes, I was just finishing my write up of the championship track season of 1960 of which you and Hamilton were such integral parts when I learned the sad news of Hamilton's passing. He was a talented and highly competitive athlete but as your beautiful eulogy describes, he was so much more than that. I immediately recalled a time in the summer of 1967 when Paul Rea and Hamilton reached out to me while I was working in DC after my first year of Law School. They wanted to come over to the apartment I was renting and catch up. We sat at the kitchen table that night until the early morning hours sharing our perspectives on a wide variety of topics from books to music to places we had visited to the issues challenging our country. I can remember the conversation as if it had occurred yesterday. It was energizing and stimulating. Hamilton was his usual self: articulate , insightful , perceptive and empathetic. We had one of those natural friendships that could start up again in full stride despite the passage of time. Sadly , given the vagaries of life, that was the last time I saw Hamilton but I have thought about him many times over the years including the time when I took my older daughter to visit Hamilton College. She was impressed with the school and I told her I had a friend from High School who went there and loved the place. And from your words, Holmes, he left his mark there as he did at GPHS and everywhere else he went. He had such a natural personality that he was easy to be with and he exuded confidence and leadership. He will be sorely missed especially today when we all need his reassuring words. Your family and his are in my thoughts and prayers and he will remain in my memory forever. I send you my heartfelt sympathy and thank you for sharing your wonderful remembrance of his life with all of us, Ron Schram
Lynne G. Alcott (Kogel)
My dear friend, Hamilton Frank Brown, "Thy good and faithful servant, requiescat in pace."
James P. Thistlethwaite
Thank you, Holmes, for your moving tribute to Hamilton. His was a life well-lived and we all are grateful.
Ronald G. Harper
Hamilton, what a great tribute to a wonderful brother and freind. The three of us go back to junior high school and compete with eachother but more than that became great friends. What a great family and I think of you both often. May he rest in peace.Carole Scherer (Enwright)
During high school Hamilton asked if I would enjoy playing violin duets with him occasionally. He would make the arrangements and come to my home. I always enjoyed that time together. I was so sad to learn of his accident from Holmes at our 50th Reunion. Holmes, thanks for sharing your lovely obituary of his life. Hamilton certainly knew how to live life fully. I'm sure he is now at peace.
Michael W. Towson
The Brown Brothers were my first friends at GPHS. Fellow Track and Field Athletes, they welcomed me for my senior year and as Team Mates we supported each other. Halmiton was a genuine CLASS ACT and admired by all.
Mike Towson
Paul W. Rea Ph. D.
As several classmates have attested, Hamilton Brown was indeed a multi-faceted person who gave much to the world. Never were his gifts more on display than as a member of Blue Hi-Y, where Hamilton played a key role in introducing club members to African-Americans. Not only did he arrange for speakers to attend meetings, but he created much-needed opportunities for us to visit places like the Franklin-Wright Settlement House on Detroit’s near East Side, where we learned more about the legendary Joe Louis, who began his boxing career in Detroit.
These visits weren’t all talk, either. Hamilton, Holmes, Bill Halbert and others played pickup basketball games that were lively but friendly. Afterwards one talented local player shook our hands while reminding us that “you guys can’t stuff.” (This was no doubt due to our lack of home court advantage). My guess would be that these contacts were real eye-openers for many of us; I know they definitely were for me.
Hamilton combined his interest in African-American culture with his passion for music, turning many of us on the great traditions of gospel and rhythm and blues. Well before Motown, Hamilton was attuned to not only early Ray Charles gospel songs but also to R&B classics like “Yes Indeed” and “Lonely Avenue.” Decades later, at Ham’s house in Arlington, he treated us to “Amazing Grace,” a classic CD (now a DVD!) of Aretha (“Lady Soul”) Franklin returning to her gospel roots in Detroit.
For all of this and more I want to say, “I thank you, Hamilton. You changed my life.” —Paul W. Rea
Susan B. Carl (Peterson)
Holmes,
Your beautiful eulogy revealed how Hamilton lived to serve others in so many ways. His contributions improved the lives of many.
I enjoyed being with you and Hamilton in various high school classes.
You have my sincere sympathy in the loss of your brother.
Susan Carl Peterson
William C. Halbert
I deeply feel the loss of Hamilton. My memories of his cheery "Willie", when addressing me; our time on the track team; our participation on the dating panel (with Paul Rea), both comfort me and confront me with the pain of his passing. He was compassionate, intelligent and optimistic. I know my grief is shared by many.
I pray his family is comforted by the love all those whose lives he touched.
Bill Halbert