A good man and much-loved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, known for his inquisitive nature, love of poetry and literature, and green thumb, died on July 25, 2020, at Hospice House in Concord, N.H. He was 89 years old.

John was born in Boston, Mass., on November 15, 1930, the youngest of five children of Francis and Theresa "Mary" Brown. He grew up in Newton, Mass., in a duplex shared by close family friends. John was a wanderer as a child, and was often late to school because he was busy daydreaming about everything from flying planes – a skill he eventually acquired – to climbing trees to birdwatching. He liked to share a story about his Catholic school experience at Our Lady's in Newton. The nuns who ran the school were unimpressed by John's habit of skipping class to feed the pigeons on Boston Common. His two sisters, in particular, worked hard to keep him in line, but John showed early on that his independent spirit was hard to suppress.

At 17, he joined the National Guard with his close childhood friends, Norman Farrar, Bill Hough, and Bill Bergquist. Heand later enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Iceland during the Korean War. After three years of service, he was honorably discharged as a Sergeant. John often spoke of his good fortune for the opportunity to attend Boston University on the GI Bill, talking his way into an offer of admission though he had not graduated high school. He earned his bachelor's degree in geology in 1958 and continued on to study toward a master's in the subject at the University of Illinois.

While living outside Boston in the 1960s, John met nurse and Newfoundland native Gertrude "Trudy" Mullaly through his friend Norman Farrar, who had married Trudy's cousin. After a brief courtship, John and Trudy were married in Watertown, Mass., on September 16, 1967. They welcomed son Jay in 1968 and daughter Pam in 1970. The family lived for many years in Derry, N.H., where John owned and operated The Brown Greenhouse, a business attached to the Browns' home. He shifted gears and, in the late 1970s, became the director of the Derry Housing Authority. He was well liked and respected, known for his compassion, honesty, and integrity.

In 1985, the Browns moved to Pembroke, N.H., and John retired in 1996. He made excellent use of his free days, building kayaks, riding his motorcycle, curating an abundant vegetable garden, and continuing his voracious reading. He was particularly fond of the poetry of Robert Frost, devoured biographies and works of fiction, and was always eager to discuss one of his favorite modern novels, Cormac McCarthy's The Road . He was known for being absent-minded – in a way that endeared him to those who understood his status as a dreamer – but also for remembering the important things, such as asking after others in times of both joy and difficulty.

In the late 1990s, John and Trudy moved briefly to Yarmouth, Mass., on Cape Cod, but returned to New Hampshire in 2002 to live closer to their first grandchild in Concord. Eventually, the couple moved to the retirement community of Havenwood. John adored his grandchildren and regaled them with stories of his mischievous youth, his motorcycling (mis)adventures, and the airplane he once owned. He was an active man into his eighties. He still rode a small motorcycle daily and was known for his omnipresence at the local libraries, where the librarians worked hard to accommodate his variety of book requests. He made friends easily at Havenwood, where he was involved in many clubs and activities for the residents, and he also maintained lifelong bonds with his childhood companions.

In the summer of 2014, John suffered a stroke that impacted the right side of his body. His strong spirit shined through, and he was able to regain enough mobility to preserve his independence. He learned to operate a medical scooter and was often stopped in the hallways of Havenwood for "speeding." He developed friendships with fellow residents, nurses, and staff, who admired him, as did his family, for his devoted care of Trudy when she began to exhibit signs of Alzheimer's disease.

Though his body tried to tell him otherwise, John retained his youthful essence well into his final decade. In 2018, he enjoyed a tour of Washington, D.C., monuments with fellow veterans through Honor Flight New England. He was ever a young man at heart, and still dreamed of riding a motorcycle again, even as his health declined over the last two years. His sly smile remained intact as did his hearty laugh. He will be missed by many for his wise counsel, long conversations, wit, sense of humor, and good nature.

John was predeceased on September 25, 2019, by his beloved wife of 52 years, Gertrude "Trudy" (Mullaly) Brown. He was also predeceased by his sister, Mary Forbes, and his brothers, Charles Brown and Robert "Buddy" Brown. He is survived by his son, John "Jay" Brown, and daughter-in-law, Jana Brown; his daughter, Pamela Brown Levin, and son-in-law, Garrett Levin; four grandchildren, Knox and Finn Brown and Audrey and Ophelia Levin; his older sister, Frances Samhammer; and many other relatives, including adoring nieces and nephews, in the U.S. and Canada.