Livonia: Bill passed away on Sunday, January 6, 2019 at age 80. He was born on January 30, 1938 to Benjamin & Ruth Brown who predeceased him. Survived by his wife of 55 years Ann (Briggs) Brown; son Gary (Carla) Brown of Henrietta and daughter Dana Brown (Mike Witkousky) of Conesus; grandsons Benjamin and David Brown; brother Richard Brown of FL; 1 niece, 2 nephews, and many other loving family and friends.
Bill attended Geneva High School and graduated in 1955. While in school, he was an accomplished wrestler and won the sectional title. He always had a love of sports which lasted his entire life. Bill graduated from SUNY Oswego with a teaching degree and earned his Master’s Degree at SUNY Buffalo. Bill had a 34 year teaching career at the Honeoye Falls-Lima Central School district where he taught industrial arts, carpentry, drafting, and architectural design. He was an advisor for ski club, a coach, and helped many students learn how to drive. Bill had a love of the outdoors, was an avid hunter, golfer, skier, card player, and Christmas tree farmer.
Family and friends may call on Thursday, January 10th, from 5-7pm at the Kevin W. Dougherty Funeral Home Inc., 21 Big Tree Street, Rte 20A, Livonia, NY where a memorial service will be held at 7pm, following the calling hours. Interment will be held privately. Memorial contributions may be made in Bill’s memory to the Livingston County CNR, Activities Fund, 11 Murray Hill Drive, Mt. Morris, NY 14510. To send a condolence or share a memory please visit: www.doughertyfuneralhomes.com
Gary and Dana, I knew you both well. My prayers and love and sympathy to you on the loss of your father. Your friendships meant so much to me growing up.
35+yrs. later, and I still have and use the table he helped me create in shop. One of the few Teacher / Mentors that actually taught you how to “think”. A life well lived.
I was so sorry to hear of Bills passing, my deepest condolences to Ann, Dana and Mike and the entire Brown Family.
I feel fortunate to have known Bill and have many fond memories of him over the years, here is one:
Bill knowing that I enjoyed waterskiing regaled me with a tale that back in the “good ol days” he once water skied the entire length of Conesus lake from end to end without taking a break! Bill was one of the most energetic and hard-working people I have ever met.
Bill was one of my favorite teachers throughout high school. I call him Mr. Brown and I’ve only thought of him as such. My claim to fame with Mr. Brown was he always said I was the only student who could recite all 44 byproducts of trees and Wood in the world. It made me feel important in a time where growing up in those years can be so difficult. A fond farewell to Mr. Brown! And a toast …” to the Sunny slopes of long ago “
Curt Haas …Class of 1973
Ann, I am so sorry to hear of Bill’s passing. We stopped by a few months ago but no one was home. Hope to catch up with you soon!
Sadly, because of the flu, I was unable to attend my brother Bill’s funeral. But here is a letter to him that was read during his memorial service:
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Dear Bill
I am so sorry that I cannot be with your family and friends as they pay tribute to a life well-lived. But I am so glad that you and I had some time together last week and could share a few laughs and smiles as we reminisced.
Our Mom and Dad stressed that each of us should leave the world better for our being in it. You did so much for so many that all who knew you are better people, and the world a better place because of your impact.
When we were growing up, you and I shared a bedroom until after college years, and that gave us the chance to talk about our girlfriends, our teams, and our hopes and dreams. We did not realize that we lived in a modest house even though Mom and Dad decided to move when their landlord upped the rent from $50 per month to $55.
We did our bit from age 8 onward to bring in a little spending money. We would get a nickel for every choir practice or church service and that came to 20 cents
a week ! And then at age 10 we had 7-mornings-a-week paper routes bringing in $7 per week for me and $5 for you. I always envied you because you could unload a bunch of papers in the apartment houses while i had the elegant homes on South Main St where houses were set way back from the sidewalk making delivery time-consuming.
It will seem strange to those who have known us only as adults to learn that I once towered over you…but that was in 8th grade and I have not grown since ….at least not in height. But then in high school you put on a growth spurt and in my senior year you beat me in the state section-5 cross-country meet. In the summer you worked in the Seneca Ice House building up muscles that would earn you a New York State Section-5 wrestling championship. You went on to captain the Oswego State wrestling team as you pursued a degree in Industrial Arts.
And weren’t you lucky that your first teaching job was in Honeoye Falls where a young and pretty Ann Briggs was an intern teacher! I remember that when you were courting her, you would appear at her farmhouse home on Christmas Eve dressed in a red and white striped night-shirt and a Santa’s hat and with a sack of gifts for Ann, her parents and her sister Jean.
As an Industrial Arts teacher you were so effective that in the county-wide competitions , your students took far more prizes that the students from the large Rochester high schools. And you were so much more than a great Industrial Arts teacher. You taught kids to ski and to drive, and you coached youth baseball and soccer, always cheering on Gary and Dana as kids and then in their high school and college years.
I learned from you that Christmas tree farming involved annual pruning of hundreds of trees and truckloads of water during dry spells. Every December you would show off your quirky sense of humor with a sign at the corner of Federal and Harder Roads: “Free-range Christmas trees for sale.”
For Mom and Dad you were a loving son, for me you were an altruistic brother, and for my kids- Dan, Valerie and Gregory – you were their favorite uncle. What other uncle would build a tower with rope on which they could swing and drop into a swimming pond? What other uncle would load little kids into the bucket of a tractor and take them for a ride across the fields and into the woods, all the time teaching them about conservation and wild-life management?
Bill, you were a devoted husband, an affectionate father , a proud grandfather, and a genial friend whose ready smile and hardy laugh brightened the day. We all shall miss you….Very much!
With all my love,
Dick
Mr. Brown along with Mr. Garrity was a person who made Industrial Arts classes fun and informational in the late 60s – early 70s at Lima High. We always thought due to the resemblance between them that Mr Brown was a Mr Garrity clone. Prior to merging with Honeoye Falls, the Lima school system was small enough to where the teachers were more that instructors, they were also part of our extended ‘family’. I’m sure he carried on with these traits through the rest of his life and many can look back and think ‘I can thank Mr. Brown for adding that to my life.’
Thoughts and prayers to Bill’s family and friends. He was my wood shop teacher at HFL for four years and he was a mentor and friend who always put others first. It was rare to see the level of commitment he displayed to his students and community. From showing students how to safely use equipment to guiding my hand and the lathe while spinning wood bowls Bill dedicated his life to helping others. His glowing personality and thoughtful tree donations to the community and Rotary club will be missed and forever appreciated. Rest In Peace buddy, you left a legacy behind in all of the lives you touched!
To Ann and family, my condolences for the passing of Bill.
I’am sorry that I won’t be able to attend services.
Jack Coykendall
No one had a greater impact on my life than Bill Brown. I couldn’t have had a better mentor and role model. Bill possessed all the tools necessary for being a fantastic teacher, coach and human being. He will always stand atop the highest pedestal in my mind.
My wife Robin and I moved to Conesus 10 years ago. Bill and Ann kind of adopted us and welcomed us into the neighborhood. Bill became my mentor in getting our tree farm started, and was always stopping by to buy blueberries from us. He helped us plant, lent us equipment, volunteered advice and always offered to help in whatever project we had going on.
We loved going to dinner with Bill and Ann. Everywhere we went he and Ann were recognized and approached by past students and local residents, all of whom had friendly, positive stories about Bill. He was an expert hunter and woodsman, things I know he took great pride and enjoyment in. He was an unfailing friend, a great man and a true gentleman. You will be missed Bill. We will think of you often. Especially in the woods.
Ann so sorry for your loss, I loved meeting you and Bill on our trip to Italy. What energy he had! So many happy memories of that holiday, and the friends we made. God Bless you and your family. Rest In Peace Bill.
Ann and family. So sorry for your loss. Bill was a wonderful person and neighbor. Got many Christmas trees from Bill. Will never forget his kindness when our son passed, when he gave us a beautiful pine tree to plant in his remembrance. RIP Bill,
Condolences to the family from one of many that benefitted tremendously from Coach Brown’s leadership of the wrestling team. The best role model one could have!
I’m unable to attend calling hours, but I’d like to extend my deepest condolences to the entire Brown family.
My favorite cousin whom I thought was the greatest. I will always remember his love of waterskiing and woodworking. He let us ride with him in his convertible. So many great memories. He will be greatly missed.
I will always smile when I remember Bill, because his smile was so infectious. The vision of him joyously riding a shopping cart through the Wegman’s parking lot will stick with me always! Bill was so generous with his time and knowledge. We ordered many pine tree seedlings from him; every time I look at our beautiful trees, I will think of him. Thank you for bringing joy to this world.
I have known Bill since we were in third grade together. His Geneva house was a kind of second home. I have been especially impressed by his knowledge of various kinds of wood and the pieces of furniture he made out of wood. He once gave me a piece of black walnut we could send off to our San Francisco son, who makes some pretty fancy furniture himself. I am also impressed by the care he took with the woodland and Ann owned. He scooped out areas to make ponds, built trails through the woods, and, of course, developed his Christmas tree farm and showed me how to get a number of Christmas trees out of a single tree–a trick I have been using on some Adirondack land we use in the summer. No slouch, he!
Ernie and Betty Schoen-Rene, Kingston, NY
Ann, I am very sorry for your loss. I remember our last reunion in Geneseo Bill and I spent almost the entire night reminiscing our long pasts. He was a real gentleman and I enjoyed knowing him very much.
We always enjoyed visiting Bill for our Christmas tree. Even though we saw Bill only once a year, he would greet us by name and always remembered the size and kind of tree we favored. The last year we bought a tree from Bill we also exchanged gifts, Bill giving us a piece of his woodworking skill and a tour of his shop. RIP Bill. You made ourChristmas holidays special.
Always remembered as “The Christmas Tree” man. Loved home baked bread.
A real asset to the town of Conesus.
Mr brown was a huge part of my high school life at HFL I took wood shop as well as Drafting and architecture with Mr Brown. I Would often see him skiing at Bristol and he would always rush over with a huge smile on his face. We had many conversations about our time in the woods hunting. With the knowledge Bill gave me I started my first company as a finish carpenter on Nantucket at the age of 23. Now as I finish my BS in Civil Engineering I Will look to the many lessons Bill taught me about architecture for help and inspiration. Your knowledge will live on in every design I have and will Build.
Bill was a great teacher, friend. I was one of his students and his UPS driver for years and he would give me baby pine trees every year when I would deliver them. He will be missed. Great Guy!!!
Bill was one of the good teachers. Always willing to help.
Ann and family,
Bill was a kind, caring person throughput his Life with that big smile. He was that way at HFL. My family remember him well and were sharing those memories last night. Bill taught me drivers Ed as a young teacher and later on taught My kids. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you. He will be missed.
Kathy and I will miss Bill a great deal. I will never visit the woods around Harder Rd. without recalling happy memories made with Bill. Happy Trails old friend. We will meet again in the Happy Hunting Ground.
Bill, you were by far one of the kindest men I have known. Your propensity for assisting and helping others was a lesson in itself for others to follow, always the teacher, always giving of yourself and asking nothing in return. Bill you were such a good friend and mentor to so many of the youth in the school of this community, including the Rotary, Scouts & so many others. You taught us valuable lessons of life and how to treat others, you will be missed and always
thought of as a true example of how one
should treat others. It was more than a
pleasure whenever I met up with you and an
Honor to be associated with you, may you
Rest In Peace.
Ann, thinking of you at this sad time. Bill came to HFL the same year I did, and I always felt a special connection because of that. He was such a good man, wise and wonderful. All the warmest thoughts and prayers for you. Love, Nancy
Dana, my condolences to you and your family. Although, I did not know your father he looks like a loving father and a very kind soul. My thoughts and sympathies are with you during this difficult time.
Sincerest sympathy, thoughts and prayers to the family. Mr. Brown was my driver ed teacher back around 1977 and I still talk about how he used two erasers as cars on the chalk board to demonstrate how to do proper turns etc. May God bless you all!
Bill was a great teacher and I was proud to call him my friend. Our breakfast club of retired teachers will miss his wit and wisdom. My prayers are with Ann and her family.
R.I.P Bill Brown, thank you for sharing so much. My favorite philosophy of yours is that snowdrifts are no match for a 4×4 pickup truck.
Bill was a great guy and a lovely person! I remember him from school but what I remember the best was his friendship with my Mom, Carol. They kept in touch even after retirement and Bill would have Mom make him Christmas candies and bubble bread every year. We always would go get our Christmas tree from his farm and have a wonderful time cutting our own. Mom passed last October so I like to think she is making Bill some bubble bread and candies to welcome him in heaven. RIP
A man who always had time for a student! He will be greatly missed and thank you for everything you did for me Mr Brown! Class of 84
Dear Ann, Dana and Gary, Jim and I are so very sorry to hear of Bill’s passing, he was a wonderful man. His generosity and helpfulness knew no bounds and his visits were a delightful part of being your neighbors. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. Jim and Cheryl Turner