Theodore Wetmore Brown

Theodore Wetmore Brown departed peacefully from his earthly home in Brewster on Tuesday, April 18, 2017, with his son, Nathan, and his loving partner and best friend, Patricia Stark, by his side. Ted was a born naturalist with a keen eye for beauty. Blessed with an inherent understanding of botany and horticulture, Ted was a true outdoorsman whose love of nature permeated every aspect of his life.

Born in Boston on January 8, 1947, to Clinton and Anne Dey Brown, Ted was raised in Needham and studied forestry and wildlife management at Norfolk County Agricultural School for two years after graduating from Needham High School in 1966. Soon to be drafted during the Vietnam War, he enlisted in the US Navy and was honorably discharged following two years aboard the USS Allagash, which refueled ships throughout the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas.

Ted’s skill as a high school gymnast evolved into a mastery of tree-climbing. After his military service, he worked in Needham as a firefighter prior to starting his own tree-care company, “TW Brown, young, new and eager to please.” Moving to Brewster in the mid-1970s as a Massachusetts Certified Arborist, Ted established a new tree-care company and lifelong business, Arbortech, Inc. He served as its president until the day he died. He was a respected leader in the tree-care industry in southeastern New England for forty years.

Ted was known for his straight talk, and for the care, integrity and knowledge he brought to each property and customer he served. He was deeply grateful to his customers, some of whom were with him from day one, for their continued business and support. With pride and confidence, he recently passed his business on to his son, Nathan. The greatest joy in Ted’s life was the time he spent raising his son, and when Nathan was once asked when he had begun tree work, he replied, “When I was born.”

Known as “Pooh Bear” to his closest friends and family, Ted excelled in axe-throwing, smoking bluefish, cooking for his legendary dinner parties, and in his exuberant dancing, a unique blend of rock-and-roll and yoga, that led to his near fame on YouTube as “The Tree-Climbing Dancer.” Perhaps most memorably, he created and maintained a 5,000-square-foot vegetable garden adjacent to the wonderful house and koi pond he built.

In addition to his son and his partner, Ted leaves behind his brother Clinton “Buzzy” Brown and wife Sheila; brother Stephen; sister Linda; former wife and Nathan’s mother, Judith Morgan; Nathan’s loving girlfriend, Jenny Franzen; nephews Jesse and Corey; and a large network of friends and family, all of whom are fortunate to have been graced by the light, sweetness and positive energy Ted exuded.

A celebration of Ted’s life will be held this summer. Date to follow. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Ted’s name to the Noah Homeless Shelter, the Animal Rescue League of Boston--Brewster Shelter or a charity of your choice.