Walter F. Brown

MARSHFIELD - Walter Francis Brown, 69, of Jerusalem Road, died Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014, at his home after a long illness. His family had been at his bedside.

Born April 1, 1945, in Boston, he was the son of George V. and Ellen Frances (Crow) Brown Jr. He graduated from Rivers Country Day School in Weston, Massachusetts, and Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and was a member of the Boston University hockey team.

Walter served on active duty as a Special Forces officer from 1970 to 1974, being stationed in Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, and was discharged as a captain in the U.S. Army.

He was first married to Normanda Smith, and they later divorced. On Sept. 27, 2013, he married his longtime companion, Candace A. Smith, at the VA Hospital in White River Junction. They continued to make their home on Jerusalem Road.

In earlier years, he had worked for the city of Gloucester, Massachusetts, and for an engineering firm in Boston and, after moving to the central Vermont area, was a longtime employee of the Capital Candy Co. in Barre, as well as an instructor in the Crash Driving Recovery Program.

Sugaring, cross-country skiing, working with his tractor and helping others in recovery were special to him.

His memberships included the Montpelier American Legion Post 3, the Brown Johnson Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 792 and the National Rifle Association.

He also was a longtime member of the Boston Athletic Association, having served on its board of directors, and was the starter of the Boston Marathon for 23 years, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.

Besides his wife, Candace, Walter is survived by his daughter, Margaret McPherson, and her husband, Jim, of Cundys Harbor, Maine: three stepdaughters, Jennifer Ljungvall, of Milton, Jessica Orvis and her husband, Paul, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Julia Ljungvall, of Calais; as well as grandchildren Joe and Zack Orvis, and Lily and Grace Bonanno; and his former sister-in-law, Eleanor Brown, of Naples, Florida.

Also surviving are two brothers, Ray Brown and his wife, Jody, of Montpelier, and George V. Brown III and his spouse, Gregg Kurak, of Douglas, Michigan, as well as nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

He was predeceased by his parents.

The graveside and committal service with full military honors will be held Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2014, at 10 a.m. at the Vermont Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Randolph Center.

Friends may call at the Hooker and Whitcomb Funeral Home, 7 Academy St., Barre, on Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Road, Suite 200, Jacksonville, FL 32256.