Norm Brown was an adventurer in body, mind and spirit – one who drank deeply from the cup of life and was always in motion and in formation. He understood well that today’s present is more precious and authoritative than yesterday.
Norman was a veteran of the U.S. Navy Reserves from 1958 to 1962. He was well-regarded as a structural engineer and was the owner and operator of Brown Engineers Inc. in Springfield. In the mid-1970s, he proved his competitiveness on the racquetball court, winning a singles and doubles championship five years straight.
One of Norm’s greatest passions was classical music and jazz (he named one of his parakeets Mendelsson). Another was literature, and Walt Whitman was his idol. It was not unusual for him to drive to Chicago or St Louis just to catch an art house film.
One friend shared the following: “Such a wonderful man! Generous and compassionate to all – to strangers as well as his legions of friends and to all of humanity. Best of all was knowing that he raised three wonderful sons, Gavin, Eric and Jim; and was deeply loved by Emily and Julie. And praise the gods, he was free to enjoy his passion for travel about our planet. He and I corresponded across the miles and decades with pen and ink, usually on lined yellow legal paper, as was often done in the previous century and even in this beleaguered one. I shall always to the end of my days treasure pulling out his letters and rereading them.”
Another friend recalled that he was determined to make a difference. Norm attended many city council meetings and became involved with helping groups including the Springfield Immigrant Advocacy Network.
Norm donated his body to science as a final selfless act to benefit the greater good. When his Celebration of Life concluded, the people sang out loudly “When the Saints Go Marching.” Norm may have been an unconventional saint, but he surely lived up to that description. In a letter dated Sept. 29, 2009, Norm wrote, “I found my epitaph.” It was (of course) penned by his beloved Walt Whitman: “Praised be the fathomless universe, for life and joy, and for objects and knowledge curious.”
Rev. Martin Woulfe
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This article appears in Remembering 2024.
