James Briggs Brown

James Briggs Brown of Palm Desert, Calif. and formerly of Sterling, Ill., died Saturday, October 23, 2010. He was 88. Born in Sterling, Ill. on October 10, 1922, he graduated from Sterling Township High School in 1940, and received a B.A. degree from Carleton College in 1943 and a J.D. degree from Northwestern University School of Law in 1949. He served in the U.S. Navy as the skipper of various amphibious landing craft in the Pacific theater in both World War II and the Korean conflict. Following WWII he remained in the Active Naval Reserve (including several years on submarines) until he retired-with-pay in 1982 with the rank of Lt. Comdr. On June 13, 1946 he married Lois Dorothy Brenner, born in Chicago, Ill. Jim practiced corporate law in Chicago with Pabst Brewing Co., Miehle-Goss-Dexter, Inc and UARCO Business Forms and in the late 1970's served as President, and then Chairman of the Board, of the Employer's Association of Greater Chicago. Lois also graduated from Carleton College with a B.A. degree in Sociology in 1943 and after many years serving on boards of various civic and charitable organizations, spent 15 years as co-owner of a successful travel agency in Wilmette, Ill. Jim retired in 1985 as Vice President, Secretary & Counsel of UARCO, Incorporated of Barrington, Ill. After residing for 44 years in Northfield Evanston and Winnetka, Ill., they moved in 1990 to Palm Desert where they were members of Ironwood Country Club and very active with golf and tennis, plus traveling to see every corner of the world. Jim's collection of slides and Lois's travel diaries along with a select and impressive collection of folk art are memories that surround them in their beautiful home in Ironwood. At the 50th reunion of the Class of 1944 of Carleton College in June 1994, Jim, as co-chairman of the Gift Committee, presented the College with a class gift of $4.4 million to establish an endowed Chair in the Liberal Arts and an endowed Scholarship Fund. At the same time Jim received an Exceptional Service Award from the Alumni Association "in recognition of his long and dedicated service to the Class of 1944 and Carleton." Jim was elected into the Sterling High School Athletic Hall of Fame in September, 2006. Jim is survived by his wife, Lois; son, Bradford J. Brown; daughter-in-law, Katlyn Stranger Brown; grandson, Justin Henderson Brown; granddaughter, Emily Rose Stranger Brown of San Rafael, Calif. Jim is also survived by his brother, Keith L. Brown of Colorado. Jim was pre-deceased by his son, Todd Wells Brown; and his sister, Jean Brown Stabler. Burial will be held in Sterling, Ill. on November 5, 2010. Flowers may be sent to Schilling Funeral Home.