Colton Wayne Brown

COLTON WAYNE BROWN, 62, of Cumberland, MD, finished life's journey and his battle with cancer, Sunday morning, April 7, 2024, at his home. Born January 29, 1962, in Cumberland, he was the son of Loretta Nazelrod Brown and William A. Brown, both of Cumberland, MD.
Colton spent his early years in the Cumberland area, attending area elementary schools. During his teen years he lived with his aunt and uncle, Lorena and Wilmer Saurbaugh, on their farm in Table Grove, Illinois. He was valedictorian of the 1979 graduating class of V.I.T. High School, Table Grove, IL, and received a Bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana in 1983. Colton returned to Maryland in the summer of 1983 to attend law school at the University of Maryland/Baltimore, where he was published in the law review journal, "Maryland Journal of International Law and Trade." He graduated from law school in May 1986, and passed the bar examination in July 1986. Although he was licensed for many years to practice law in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, Colton never practiced law, but worked in the legal publishing field, helping to develop software and subscription services for the legal community. Living in Baltimore and Georgetown, he worked for the Bureau of National Affairs and The Congressional Quarterly, both as an employee and as a consultant. In 2018, Colton returned to Cumberland to assist his mother and Uncle Donnie at the home place.
In addition to his parents, Colton is survived by his sisters, Angela (Brown) Radcliffe and her husband Mathew, of Frostburg, and Allison Brown, of Cumberland, and the first cousin's he grew up with in Illinois, Vicki Remy, Joy Patch, Geni Jacobs and Merri Tingley. In addition to his aunt Lorena (Nazelrod) Saurbaugh, he is survived by his maternal uncles, James, Carl and his wife Delores, and Don Nazelrod, all of Cumberland, and by his paternal aunts, Esther Weaver; Virginia Brown; and Theresa Shroyer and her husband, Ray; all of Cumberland; and Helen Bulger of Bedford, PA.
Colton was always an avid reader, and with gifts of books and learning adventures, encouraged the same in his nieces and nephews: David Alan Lick, Elizabeth (Radcliffe) Stong, Timothy James Lick, Erin (Radcliffe) Neal, Samuel John Lick, Benjamin Elliott Radcliffe, Katherine (Lick) Whetzel, Loretta (Lori) Lick and Megan Marie Lick.
Always a nature lover, Colton volunteered for several years at Rock Creek National Park, helping to eradicate invasive plants that had been introduced there and replace them with plants of native wildflowers and grasses. A lover of both art and music, he maintained blogs on those subjects for many years.
At Colton's direction, his body was cremated and will be interred at Mt. Tabor Cemetery, Spring Gap, MD, with five generations of his mother's family. Rev. Quentin Simpson with officiate at a graveside committal service there, on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 11:00 A.M.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to UPMC Hospice P.O. Box 539 Cumberland, MD 21502-0539 or the Allegany County Library System 815 National Hwy, LaVale, MD 21502.