Randolph Rankin "Randy" Brown

Randolph "Randy" Rankin Brown

Peterborough, NH - Randolph "Randy" Rankin Brown, 93, of Peterborough, NH, passed away peacefully on December 1, 2025.

Randy was born in Sarasota, FL, on June 13, 1932, to his parents, Randolph Elijah and Johanna Powell Brown. He is predeceased by his loving wife of almost 70 years, Janet Tallman Brown of Peterborough, NH, and was father to Jeffrey Brown and his wife, Janet of Peterborough; Beth St. Thomas and her husband, Todd of Park City, Utah; Wendy Martinoni and her husband, Joe of Wharton, NJ; and Amy Porter and her husband, Andy of Whitinsville, MA. He was grandfather to four grandchildren: Alex Porter and his wife, Acacia, of Ashland, MA; Dan Martinoni of Wharton, NJ; Zach Porter of Whitinsville, MA; and Emma Martinoni of Wharton, NJ.

He is predeceased by his sister, Elizabeth Johanna "Betty Jo" Brown of Tenafly, NJ. Randy began his childhood in Florida and eventually ended up in Tenafly, NJ, and in 1951, he worked at Demarest's Hardware Store in Tenafly, NJ, where he met Janet. Randy enlisted in the Army in 1953 to receive training in Transportation School and was stationed in Seward, Alaska, for 2 years, where they started their family. Upon their return to New Jersey, Randy earned his BA at Fairleigh Dickinson University, while they lived in Tenafly and then moved to Cresskill, NJ.

To quote Randy: "The one interest which pervades my entire life, behind love, family and God, is railroads", and pervade it did - in business, hobbies and home life. His love of trains and railroading, beginning as a child, led to a long career in transportation in various positions at Thomas J. Lipton, American Cyanamid, Standard Oil Company, Hartz Mountain Corporation and the New York Chamber of Commerce and Industry, among others. If you were looking for Randy at home, he was most likely in the basement in Cresskill and then the basement in Peterborough, constructing a model railroad layout that he spent decades creating. He belonged to several railroading organizations and wrote a monthly newsletter. Family day trips and camping vacations were adventures and always involved chasing down one rare and memorable locomotive or another, while exploring the Mid-Atlantic region of the East Coast.

Randy was a longtime member of both the Tenafly Presbyterian Church and the Union Congregational Church in Peterborough, NH. In both communities of faith, Randy shared his love of music by participating in both the vocal and bell choirs and was a very active church member. He also joined his wife, Janet, in performing with the Monadnock Chorus. Teaching Sunday School led to his extensive involvement in the Boy Scouts of America as a scout leader.

A celebration of life will be planned for a date in the future.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to help support the food and sense of community provided by the Monday Night Suppers that Randy enjoyed so much. Checks may be made out to "Union Congregational Church," with "Monday Night Suppers" in the note and mailed to 33 Concord St, Peterborough, NH, 03458.

To share a memory, or to leave the family a message of condolence, please visit Randy's tribute page at www.jellisonfuneralhome.com