William E. Brown, 82, passed away June 23, 2022, at Danbury Senior Living. He attended Dunkirk High School, Ball State University and Indiana University and graduated with a doctorate in psychology. He maintained two careers: as a private practice psychologist in Tipp City, and as a full professor of education at Wright State University. He dedicated his life to teaching and helping others.
The night before he died, I ran into a Miami County attorney at the gas station who said, “His discernment about people and human nature was impeccable. He told it like it was no matter who was writing the check—and that’s exactly what I needed to decide how best to help my clients.”
He was a cross country runner and band member in high school and college. He was also Ball State University drum major who, I was told, stole the show. He also was an excellent horse race handicapper, stock market enthusiast, and an avid adopter of emerging rock and roll. According to my cousin, Bryan Brown of Oregon, he wrote his own "killer county and western lyrics." He was an animal lover and a mechanical klutz, was generous to anyone, and did not care for organized religion.
Even though he was constantly on the move with new projects and career responsibilities, he found time to throw a baseball, dribble a basketball, hike in the woods, and coach my baseball team. He also played in men’s tennis doubles leagues with me and got me started snow skiing at age 5. He also helped with homework from time to time.
He was disabled and his careers ended at age 61 after suffering two brain bleeding ischemic strokes in 2001 in California which left him blind, paralyzed and unable to speak for almost a year afterward. He then spent 21 years in different levels of care, and was a model of rehabilitation between years eight and 15 of this time, making friends, taking adult classes at University of Dayton, betting stocks and horses, swimming, jogging, and walking his dog, Willie the Hoosier.
He was a resident of Waterford Dayton Mall, Wellington Alex Bell and Danbury Tipp/Huber. I was surprised to see how many people he touched throughout his life and many remained, too many to list, throughout his difficulties.
In the last 9 months, I watched and accompanied him through a final seizure, then stroke, diabetes, onset dementia, then colon cancer, then heart failure. He was truly an inspirational and excellent father and friend. He never gave up. He wasn’t fazed by the word no. He touched others to the very end. He will be missed.
His parents were H. Paul Brown & Vera Grace Brown of Portland, Ind. He had two brothers and their families Bob & Sheila Brown (children Bobby, Debbie & Jule) of Dunkirk, Ind., and Jack & Marjorie Brown (children Bryan Bruce Susan & Cindy Brown) of Franklin, Ind. Special thank you to his friends, Ty, Andy, Lee, Susan, Shirley, Vicki, and Jim for their unending support.
