Clinton Salt Brown of
Easton, Maryland, and formerly of Oxford, Maryland, Buffalo, New York, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, and Niagara Falls, New York, died in his 100th year on May 6, 2023. He was an extraordinary man who dedicated his life to his family, business, church, culture and yachting.
He was a leap year baby born to Helen Rae Salt Brown and Clinton Willi Brown in Buffalo, New York, on February 29, 1924. He would admit only to his leap year age until celebrating his 99th birthday with 21 of his extended family members spanning four generations.
Known all his life as "Bus" or "Buster", he was the beloved husband for 67 years of the late Jane Kirkpatrick Egbert Brown, a friend since childhood. He was predeceased by his siblings, Maury Rae (late Frances Helen LeoWolf) Brown and Helen Salt "Susie" Brown (late Robert John Entenman, Sr.) Entenman. He is survived by children Alison Rae Brown of Linthicum, MD, Cameron Salt (Dona Tepas) Brown of
Naples, FL, and Douglas Kirkpatrick (Laurie Counihan) Brown and Clinton Egbert (Alma O'Connell) Brown of Buffalo. He was the beloved "Oopa" of grandchildren Helen Juliette Brown of Buffalo, Cullen O'Connell (Madiha Zahrah Choksi) Brown of
New York, NY, Somsamay Homphothichak of Boston, MA, Peter Hearth (Janine Sprague) Brown of Bucharest, Romania, Clinton Stewart (Danya Sarkar) Brown of Pretoria, South Africa, Catherine Parker (Samuel Fearnside) Brown of Buffalo; Grace Alison (Alexander) Rek of Chicago, IL, and Cameron Salt (Christine Basil) Brown, Jr., of Buffalo. His was great-grandfather to Elizabeth Jane Brown, Edward Kirkpatrick Brown, Thomas Robert Brown, Cameron Salt Brown, III, Jackson Newton Brown, Anisah Nupur Sarkar Brown, and Kavi Clinton Sarkar Brown. He is also lovingly remembered by many nieces, nephews, and their children.
Bus was educated at Miss Otis's School and the DeVeaux School in Niagara Falls, New York, Ridley College in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, Cornell University (Zeta Psi Fraternity) and the University of Rochester. He enlisted in the US Navy in 1943 during World War II. As a carrier-qualified Naval Aviator, he flew many aircraft, most notably anti-submarine torpedo bombers. After enjoying a post-war interlude in San Francisco, he returned to Niagara Falls to work in several chemical industries before joining the family company, National Manufacturing Corp., a
Tonawanda, NY-based manufacturer of paints and roofing materials, rising to become President and CEO. Upon retirement and moving to Oxford in 1980, he became Executive Director of the Private Industry Council and later a Development Director for Memorial Hospital Foundation in Easton.
Bus served as a Vestryman at Trinity Episcopal Church in Buffalo and was an active parishioner of Christ Church in Easton. He served as a trustee and President of the Talbot County Historical Society. A past Commodore of the Youngstown (NY) Yacht Club, Bus became active at the Tred Avon Yacht Club in Oxford. He was a regular winner of racing trophies, served as a US Yacht Racing Association Judge, was active in the Junior Racing program and served as Commodore of TAYC. He was also a member of the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Club, a District Lieutenant of the US Power Squadron, and a Chair, Navigation, of the Miles River Sail and Power Squadron.
Bus was dedicated to making sailing and sailboat racing available to all. He welcomed and mentored women and young people as part of his racing crew. He taught boating safety to beginners, celestial navigation to seasoned salts, and shared great sailing lore and boating stories with everyone. Active in Western New York and Eastern Shore US Power Squadron, Bus was honored with a Charles F. Chapman Award for Excellence in Teaching.
He will be buried beside his beloved Jane in Oxford Cemetery in a plot overlooking Town Creek on Friday, May 12, 2023. A community celebration of his life will be held this summer.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Christ Church Easton (
http://www.christchurcheaston.org/); the Youngstown Junior Sailing Program (
http://yycjuniorsailing.com/); and/or the Tred Avon Junior Sailing Program (
https://www.tayc.com/).
Please visit
www.fhnfuneralhome.com for online condolences.

Published by The Star Democrat on May 12, 2023.