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William "Bill" Brown Jr.
William "Bill" Brown Jr.
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William Brown Jr. Obituary
Bill and his family spent 25 years in Hawaii. He grew up in Yosemite National Park, his Dad ran the general store and Bill went to high school in Mariposa, an old gold mining town. He liked to say he went around the world twice in a school bus. He spent summers at his Uncle Louis' ranch in Petrolia on California's "Lost Coast" with his brother Roger. Bill worked on the Yosemite trail crew during high school and college and got his taste for construction and building bridges. He went on to get degrees from both Dartmouth and Stanford. A stint in the Navy "Seabees" construction battalion in the Philippines led to a live long career in construction management. He went on to build signature projects and resorts in California, Hawaii and Hong Kong. Retiring in Park City, Utah followed by Port Townsend, WA.
Bill spent his life learning, creating, and giving back to every community he lived in. An active member of the Park City and Port Townsend Sunrise Rotaries; he helped bring the successful "Running of the Balls" fundraiser from Park City to Port Townsend.
Not one to sit still, he skied into his 70's and mountain biked into his 80's. Bill sat on the board of the Park City Water Reclamation District, the Glenwood Cemetery Association and the Fort Worden Public Development Agency (PDA). During the 2002 Winter Olympic Games "Cauldron Bill" managed the Main Street warming cauldrons and helped create the Olympic Welcome Plaza.
Bill also restored antique vehicles, culminating in the restoration of a horse drawn hearse from Vienna that is now on display at the Northwest Carriage Museum. He earned numerous awards including Citizen of the Year and Grand Marshall.
He is survived by his three sons, Alan Brown and wife Shelley, of Port Townsend, WA. Chris Brown, Cheri Carlson and grandson Trey of Arlington, WA, and Andy Brown, wife Erica and two grandchildren, Morgan and Liam, of Snoqualmie, WA. Married for 64 years, his wife Joyce Brown preceded him in April of 2019 and his brother Roger in 2015.
A memorial service will be held in his honor on Saturday, May 21st, 2022 at his beloved Fort Worden in Port Townsend. Please go to Bill's guest book on legacy.com and add your memories. Donations can be made in his name to the Mattole Valley Historical Society (MVHS) and sent to P.O. Box 144, Petrolia, CA 95558.
\par \qc Arrangements Provided By: \par \qc Kosec Funeral Home
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Jerry Bowman
July 4, 2022
Bill was a very generous man, a fine craftsman and a dear friend. I remember meeting him for the first time about 8 or 9 years ago when he offered to donate his historic Vienna Hearse. It was a pleaseure spending some time with Bill and his wonderful wife, Joyce. Bill and I had a great time talking about restoration.....lots of great stories and details. He visited his hearse in our museum several times along with the many other vehicles. I remember his proud comments and his smile......he was so happy that thousands of visitors were enjoying his work. Bill called me about 5 years ago to see if I had interest in a horse drawn road grader. The grader was in Calif. but would need to be picked up and was ours if we wanted it. Last year, I spoke to Bill who said he wanted to visit the museum, unfortunately, that trip down never happened. Although Bill is now gone, his memory lives on with his two beautiful vehicles on display at the Northwest Carriage Museum. I will miss Bill.....a wonderful friend.
Jerry Bowman
July 4, 2022
Jerry Bowman
July 4, 2022
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Jerry Bowman
July 4, 2022
I met Bill some 8 or 9 years ago when he called the Northwest Carriage Museum to see if we would be interested in his Vienna Hearse. We went up to see the hearse and met Bill and Joyce. What lovely people! Because of our interest in restoration, Bill and I hit it off and shared many stories. His donation of the hearse to our museum was incredible and we will be forever thankful. Bill visited our museum several times over the next few years. He loved seeing our other historic vehicles but his beloved hearse was his favorite. A few years after the hearse was donated, Bill called me up to ask if I had an interest in a horse drawn road grader he had restored. I picked that grader up in No. Calif, got her back to working condition and it is also on display at our museum. Last year when Bill and I spoke, he planned to come down to see his grader but unfortunately, never made it down. Bill was a remarkable man, a wealth of knowledge and a dear friend. I will miss him but his memory lives on through the wonderful vehicles he gifted to us. Thank you Bill. RIP.
Rina Slade
May 28, 2022
I lived across the street from Joyce and Bill in Thaynes Canyon. I have fond memories but the best was riding in their antique vehicle at the Park City Parade. RIP, they are together again.
Dave Hedderly-Smith
May 21, 2022
Bill was a fellow Rotarian, a great friend, and someone to emulate. We met in Park City through the Sunrise Rotary there. His talks - usually related to his career - to the club were absolutely fascinating; his work for the community productive and long-lasting. He and Joyce retired to Port Townsend, and we semi-retired to Poulsbo WA, 45 minutes away, a year or two later, so we were able to keep in touch and occasionally got together. I will always remember him and am very proud to have been his friend. RIP Bill; you left the world a better place for your having been here.
Lloyd Jones
May 20, 2022
Oh that we all could have as full and admirable life as Bill. He excelled in his various rolls, family man, constructor, athlete and community servant. May his heirs should be comforted in their loss by the admiration in which Bill was held, by those of us that were fortunate to interact with him.
Although my contact started as a co-worker in construction, it evolved into his being my friend and mentor. He inspired me professionally on projects in Hawaii and Hong Kong and in recreation, his superior skiing was an inspiration. Our skiing together was memorable, perhaps most memorable being an early trip to introduce Andy and my son Alex to skiing.
We travelled together frequently on business or skiing and always got a chuckle from watching the skeptical hotel clerks when we registered as Mr Brown and Mr Jones.
Thank you Bill, for how you enriched my life.
John Hanrahan
May 19, 2022
So sorry to hear of Bill´s passing. He was a Rotary legend here in Park City and he and Joyce had such a wonderful impact in our town.
Rory Murphy
May 18, 2022
Bill was a wonderful, decent and intelligent man. He was my friend. He was there for me when I needed him and I will miss him very much. Godspeed Bill. You were a good man. My deepest sympathies to your loved ones.
Mike Luers
May 16, 2022
Bill Brown was my professional mentor. One of the many things he taught me, was how to deal with major problems and issues when planning and constructing major projects, he was a master!
Bill encouraged me to join Rotary, take-up mountain biking and inspired me to snow ski. I will forever remember those early mountain bike rides where he would `ride me into the dirt´!
Bill was one of a kind! Bill, you will be missed!
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