Robert Foster Brown, age 88 passed peacefully on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at the Tidewell Hospice House in Sarasota, FL. His wife was by his side. For the last year, he struggled with renal failure but always maintained his big smile and bright shining eyes. HE LOVED people and rallied when someone would visit.
Robert F. Brown was born on January 2, 1936 in Ridgway, PA to Mary Ruth and Leland P. Brown. After graduating high school, Bob attended Washington and Lee College in Lexington, VA before transferring his sophomore year to Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. There he was active in Kappa Sigma where he was President of the Chapter his Senior Year. He enjoyed the many activities that Cornell offered, graduating in 1958 from the ILR School with a BA in Personnel Relations. After graduation, he was selected for the two year training program with PSE&G in Newark, NJ, where he explored the different aspects of the company.
At the end of his training, he completed his ROTC commitment by spending a year in Pusan, Korea on a special assignment. He returned to PSE&G working in their computer department.
In 1966, he married Dorothea H. Brown in Short Hills, NJ. Bob enjoyed living life to the fullest. In the late 60s, he decided to make a career change. After weighing three choices, he decided to go into Real Estate in the Summit, NJ area. He had a great love for architecture and residential homes. This love, along with his MBA from NYU made this option a great fit. After working for the well established Holmes Agency, he decided in 1977 to open a small boutique agency; RF BROWN REALTORS. Having salespeople afforded him the opportunity to travel during his wife's school vacations. Often, they would be gone for 4-6 weeks during the summer on their driving tours of the USA and Canada. Both fell in love with Florida after visiting in 1966. It wasn't long after that they bought a condo in Sarasota, FL where they would spend the Winter and Spring breaks and part of the Summer.
In the 1990's, Bob merged his company into a larger one in Summit and retired. His wife loved teaching and continued teaching until she retired in 2004 and they became Snowbirds! They sold their NJ home in 2013 and moved permanently to Sarasota. In retirement, they loved cruising to see new places from Canada to South America and Europe!
Bob was active at St. Boniface Church, Siesta Key, the Sarasota/Manatee Cornell Club, the Historical Society of Sarasota County, and the local St. David's Welsh Society. He still retained his membership in the Summit (NJ) Old Guard of Summit, NJ.
Bob leaves his wife, Dorothea Holberton Brown, his brother, William P. Brown (Gail R) both of Sarasota, and niece Karen B. Garza (Lee), and their daughter Kyra, all of NYC, and Todd R. Brown of Fresno, CA, along with many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Bob may be made to St. Boniface Episcopal Church, Siesta Key, FL 34242.
A service of remembrance will be held in the Fall at St. Boniface Church.
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