Mortimer BROWN

MORTIMER BROWN P. Eng'Monty' June 16, 1921 - January 13, 2018
Predeceased by his wife, Frances; and brothers, Jeff and Bert. The eldest of four boys, he is survived by his brother, Leslie of London, England. Loving father to Carol Brady (Mike) of Caledonia, Jacqueline Sargent (Bob) of Georgetown and Robin (Susan) of Whistler, B. C. Grandfather to Meghan, Courtney, Jared (Meredith) and Sean; and Great-grandfather to Sydney. Born in Bromley, Yorkshire, and a graduate of the Leeds College of Technology in Mechanical Engineering. Commissioned to the British Army, Monty served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. He was transferred to the Indian Army where he commanded workshop companies serving in Southeast Asia, specifically India, Burma, French Indo-China and the Dutch East Indies. He was discharged in 1947 with the Rank of Major, and returned to England where he married and began a career in manufacturing research. In 1952, he immigrated to Canada with his family, initially working at Westinghouse in Hamilton, Ontario, as a member of the team that produced the first Canadian Homing Torpedoes. He later returned to the aluminum industry. In 1969, Monty co-founded RAM Partitions, which manufactured moveable walls and later office partitions. He then joined Nightingale Industries, one of Canada's leading office furniture manufacturers. He was responsible for the product INTERLOC for which he held the patents. In 1983 he accepted a new challenge: the development of Teknion Furniture Systems as President, supported by Global Upholstery. Since its inception Teknion has grown to become of one the world's premier companies in the international office furniture systems market. Monty retired from Teknion as Chairman. Monty Brown served as an elected Trustee on the Oshawa Board of Education, and a Director on the Board of the Danny Grossman Dance Company, The Design Exchange and the Business and Institutional Manufacturers Association of Canada. Monty lived by the rule 'form follows function.' His excitement and passion came from leading new products in the design phase thru manufacturing to the end product - finessed and driven by function, predicated on rationale and logical thought. From his time in the army until his retirement, his curiosity in the composition of systems and structures drove him to enhance and create unique applications and solutions. This curiosity extended to the world around him, which he travelled extensively. From a young age he was actively engaged in fitness, he was an avid sailor, racing keelboats and became a lifelong patron of the arts. Devotion to family was evidenced in the loving care he sought for his wife Frances in her battle with Alzheimer's, and the worldly experience he provided each of his grandchildren to attend Neuchatel Junior College in Switzerland and travel throughout Europe for their final year of secondary school, finally joining each of them for graduation and one last sojourn. Special thanks to Comfort Keepers of Oakville, Monty's team - Gina, Joan, Nanette, Cristher and Dr. Corrine Breen for their compassionate care and commitment to Monty and family over the past 5+ years. Also to the staff at Churchill Place for recognizing and engaging 'Major Monty' every day. Family and friends are invited to join us at the J.S. Jones and Son Funeral Home, 11582 Trafalgar Road, Georgetown, 905 877-3631 on Thursday January 25th from 7-9 p.m. A memorial service will be held in the chapel on Friday, January 26, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. (with visitation from 10:00-11:00 a.m.) Reception to follow at North Halton Golf and Country Club. In lieu of flowers, at Monty's request, memorial contributions to The United Jewish Appeal, Salvation Army, Alzheimer's Society or Oakville Hospital would be appreciated. To send expressions of sympathy visit www.jsjonesandsonfuneralhome.com