Albert W. Brown, Ph.D, died April 17, 2017. He was born Nov. 2, 1921, in LaFargeville, N.Y., the sixth child of Nicholas H. Brown and Edith Haller Brown. He was preceded in death by both parents, an infant sister, Amelia and siblings: The Right Rev. Allen Brown, Erma Randall Rooke, Harold Brown and Eva Rexford; and son, Nelson Brown.
Also preceded was Albert’s wife, Marjorie Higley Brown, whom he married on Sept. 1, 1946. Marjorie played a major role during their married life caring for their five children. Marjorie was an outstanding partner and companion.
Dr. Brown is survived by four children: Brewster W. Brown (Elizabeth), Solye Brown, Shauna Anderson (Daniel) and Sheryl Galinski (Francis); eight grandchildren: Seth Brown, Nathan Brown, Melanie MacIntyre, Bradley Anderson, Colin Kagel, Annie Kagel, Daniel Galinski and Nicholas Galinski; seven great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Brown joined the Marine Corps in 1942, and rose to the rank of staff sergeant. He saw action in three campaigns in the Pacific Theatre. After his discharge, he entered SyracuseUniversity as an undergraduate in January 1946. He earned both his bachelor’s (Magna Cum Laude) and PhD (Social Science in the Maxwell Scholl of Citizenship and Public Affairs) from SU in 1952.
He joined the faculty at EasternIllinoisUniversity and then EasternMichiganUniversity, where he was chair of the Department of Geography and Geology. At the time of his selection as Brockport’s third president, he was on leave from his duties at Eastern Michigan and was serving as acting director of the Michigan Office of Economic Opportunity under then Governor George Romney. From 1965-81, the Brown family resided in Brockport, N.Y., where Dr. Brown served as the third president of Brockport State University College and a SUNY University professor. During his tenure, Brockport grew from fewer than 3,000 students to nearly 12,000 in the latter part of the 1970s and evolved from a teachers college to a comprehensive undergraduate and graduate institution.
While most of the present physical campus was built during those years, President Brown considered that his greatest achievements to be building of the high quality undergraduate and graduate faculty, comprehensive, appropriate and quality undergraduate and graduate programs. A number of innovative and timely educational opportunities for the undergraduate student body in the Rochester Metropolitan area were established. Among these programs were the highly successful transfer opportunities for two year college graduates, the Alternate College (now Delta College), The Mature Adult Program, the Peace Corps College Degree Program, the 3-1-3 High School-College Matriculated Program, The Washington Semester Program and the Philosophical Year Program. The Washington, D.C. program was a junior year at home program involving both exchange of teachers and students. A number of overseas programs were also developed at this time. He was especially proud of his service on the founding Park Ridge Board of Trustees which created the present Park Ridge Medical complex. He served on the PBS board for Channel 21, belonged to The Philosophers in Rochester and served on the Advisory Board for Lincoln First Bank in Brockport.
A number of special programs were created at Brockport, including a Peace Corps college degree program, an outstanding dance department, major growth in international education and exchange programs with faculty in American schools overseas. Among adaptive physical programs were outstanding successes in hosting the international Special Olympics and sponsoring current programs such as CampAbilities, a summer camp for the blind and visually handicapped. Quality programs developed in the sciences and other areas which prepared students for successful careers in business, public service and further education. The university continued a focus on serving the unserved and assumed responsibility for the EconomicOpportunityCenter in Rochester and in WashingtonD.C.
After 16 years, Albert Brown resigned the presidency of Brockport and served three years as a professor of higher education at the University of Buffalo.
After his tenure at Brockport, Dr. Brown continued an active career as an evaluator and consultant in Higher Education. He served in several capacities with the Association of State Colleges and Universities including a delegation to the Ministry of Education in Taiwan. He directed a U.S. AID study in Cyprus. For 11 years, he developed and utilized a pilot program for the evaluation of higher educational programs on military bases both in the United States and in Japan, Korea and Okinawa. He served as a consultant to the defense intelligence school, as they sought and achieved status as an accredited degree granting institution of higher education.
In 1981, the Brown family moved to its home on Chautauqua Lake. He continued to be active in various activities and organizations. He was a member of the Jamestown Rotary club and served as president during the period when women were admitted to that organization. He was a Paul Harris Fellow. He and his family were active in St. Luke’s church, where he served as warden and vestry member and on numerous committees. He was recognized with an appearance Fellowship from SyracuseUniversity. He was interested in conservation and the outdoors and become a joint owner of a local forest and was active in the New York State Forest Owners Association and the Master Forest Owners sponsored by CornellUniversity. He received the Outstanding Forest Landowner reward awarded by the region nine forest practice board.
He served as vice president of Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County for a number of years and served on the North Harmony Town Board. He was a lifetime member of the Chautauqua Blind Association and served on the board.
A memorial service is planned for June 30, 2017, at 10 a.m., at St Luke’s Episcopal Church in Jamestown, N.Y.
Family suggests memorials may be made to the Albert W. and Marjorie H. Brown Scholarship through the Brockport Foundation (The College at Brockport, 350 New Campus Drive, Brockport, NY14420) or St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 410 North Main Street, St., Jamestown, NY14701.