Louis R. “Lou” Brown

Louis R. “Lou” Brown, 73, of 14 Barker St., Jamestown, died at 10:30 a.m. Monday (July 1, 1985) in WCA Hospital.

A lifelong area resident, he was born Sept. 25, 1911 in South Dayton, a son of Chauncey and Agnes Simpson Brown. He was a graduate of South Dayton High School, a post-graduate of Gowanda High School and attended the University of Michigan.

Active in Masonic circles for many years, Brown was a former member of Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 145 F&AM, Frewsburg, where he served as master in 1966-67. He was also past High Priest of Western Sun Chapter RAM; Illustrious Master of Dunkirk Council from 1964-65; Commander of Jamestown Commandery, Knights of Templar, in 1961, and has served as vice-president of the Western New York Past High Priests Association.

Brown was also zone officer for the New York State Commandery and Grand Representative of the Grand Council, Royal and Select Masters. He was the first Jamestown-area man to receive the York Cross of Honor, and had been a member of Kharram Grotto.

Also very active in sports, Brown participated in football and baseball in high school and college, later playing semi-pro baseball on the Hope’s Windows team, and later with the Steel Partition Bombers. He participated in two national semi-pro baseball tournaments in Wichita, Kansas, after winning the state titles. Brown was later New York State commissioner of semi-pro baseball.

He was also well-known as an official for football and baseball for many years. Brown had managed Little League teams and aided in organizing the city’s first Babe Ruth circuit. He was a member of Lakewood Rod and Gun Club.

Surviving are his wife, the former Ruth Morley, with whom he celebrated their golden wedding anniversary April 13, 1985; three sons: Richard M. Brown of Lakewood, Donald R. Brown of Rochester, and Capt. William L. Brown of Okinawa, Japan; three grandchildren: Jacqueline Sutton of Collins, N.Y., Randy and Rebecca Brown of Lakewood; three brothers: Ralph, Robert and Howard Brown, all of South Dayton, and four sisters: Elizabeth Blankenship of Texas, Evelyn Wood of Ithaca, N.Y., Janet Grace of California and Alberta Saunders of Florida.

The funeral will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday in Lind Funeral Home. The Rev. Bertil G. Peterson, retired United Methodist minister, will officiate. Burial will be in Sunset Hill Cemetery.

Friends will be received by the family from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. today in the funeral home, where a Masonic Service will be at 7:30 p.m. today.

The family suggests memorials may be made to the Louis R. Brown Memorial Scholarship Fund ion care of Southwestern Central School.