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David W. Brown
Remembering David W. Brown David Warfield Brown of Denver, CO, passed away on Tuesday, December 1, 2020, after struggling with several serious health conditions over the past few years. His wish was to pass peacefully under hospice care at his home in Denver, with his family by his side, rather than continue treatment. He was 83 years old. David was born on August 16, 1937, in Evanston, IL, the son of Lloyd and Nancy Brown (née Coleman) and younger brother to Coleman Barr Brown. He and his brother were close, and David grew up loving the Chicago Cubs, swimming in Lake Michigan, and cherishing his time and relationship with live-in family friend, Jeanie Peterson, who helped raise him, and spoiled him on desserts forever. After graduating from Princeton University with a degree in English in 1959, he spent a year at University College in London. From there, he went to Harvard Law School in Cambridge, MA., where he met his wife, Alice Bean. They married in her hometown of Jaffrey, NH, on February 29, 1964. David and Alice spent the first two years of their marriage in West Germany, where David served at the height of the Cold War as an air defense officer in the U.S. Army. They then moved to New York City, where David practiced law and served as chief-of-staff for U.S. Representative Ed Koch. David went on to serve as chairman of the New York State Commission of Investigation under Governor Hugh Carey and then as deputy mayor of New York City under Mayor Koch. After his time in government, David taught public management at Yale University for ten years. In the late 1980s, he served as president of Blackburn College in Carlinville, Ill., and later taught public policy at The New School in New York and served as an associate with the Kettering Foundation for nearly 20 years, just ending this past year. David and Alice spent most of their married life in New York City and East Hampton, NY, where they raised two children, Peter and Sarah. After David and Alice retired, they moved to Taos, NM, a place David had fallen in love with on a family road-trip in 1985 and had always dreamed of moving to. In 2017, David and Alice moved to Denver where their daughter, Sarah, lives and works as an attorney. Their son, Peter, and his wife, Grace, reside in Taiwan, where Peter serves as an assistant church pastor. Alice passed away on August 30, 2020, in Denver. David loved his bloodhound, Piety, the ocean, tennis, and baseball, especially the New York Yankees. He enjoyed collecting art and decorating, going on long walks (a habit begun with Piety), fitness and health, politics, music, especially Leonard Bernstein, the Beatles and Phillip Glass, and singing and playing the piano. He also loved Broadway plays, Central Park, chess, Whole Foods, crème brûlée, and reading anything and everything he could get his hands on. His favorite authors were John Updike and Walker Percy, and he read the New York Times (the actual newspaper) every single day – even up until his last days. He is the author of five recognized books on social conventions, democracy, higher education, professionalism, and government. David is survived by children Peter Bean (wife Grace), daughter Sarah Alice and Irene Brown, wife of brother, Coleman, and their four children Justin, Susan, Bradford, and Joshua. David’s son and daughter are forever grateful for the support, guidance, humor, and unconditional love their father showed them every day. They will miss him more than words can say yet feel blessed for the lifetime of love and inspiration their Dad and Mom both gave them—where everyday life was lived to its fullest. His mantra was, “This is the day the Lord hath made, rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 118:4). “‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times’—my love stands as your sentinel.” (David to Alice. They are now reunited once again.) No formal memorial events are currently scheduled. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date in 2021. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to City Harvest in New York City in David’s name – a webpage at City Harvest has been created for David. http://secure.cityharvest.org/davidwbrownAugust 16, 1937 - December 1, 202008/16/193712/01/2020
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David W. Brown
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