George Carl Brown

GEORGE CARL BROWN August 1, 1942 ~ April 3, 2013 George Carl Brown, a principled, resilient and engaging man whose impact will far exceed his time on earth, passed away April 3 at the age of 70. Born to William and Rosalie (Reynolds) Brown in Monett, MO, George's family moved to Vancouver, WA in 1944. After graduating from Hudson's Bay High School in 1960, his path led him to the United States Marine Corps, where he was stationed in Hawaii. George's time in the Corps directed his interests and shaped his personality and belief system into one that emphasized discipline, integrity and selflessness. Little did he know at the time that this would also alter his destiny; for it was there that he would meet his future wife, Judith Fondacaro - a school teacher at Holy Trinity Elementary. The couple married and moved for a time to Pullman, where George earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Washington State University; then it was back to Vancouver to start a family. A loving and dedicated husband as well as an involved and devoted father to his son Gregg - he took great pride in the responsibilities that each role presented. George settled into a career and worked as an electrical engineer at Clark Public Utilities for 26 years, retiring in 1996. While at the P.U.D., George earned a reputation as a decisive and dependable leader whose innovative designs shaped the landscape of electrical networks in downtown Vancouver and Clark County. In his free time, he fished the Washougal, Kalama and Lewis rivers; he was an accomplished bowler inducted into the Clark County Bowling Association Hall of Fame in 1990; he was a skilled card player who augmented his retirement income with the help of those with whom he shared a table; he was a life member of the Elks Lodge 823, as well as a member of the American Legion Smith-Reynolds Post #14; and he was a frequent and visible supporter of local teams at high school athletic events. Some say legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you. Consequently, the shared stories of George will be reflective of how he prioritized his resources. While some invest to attain financial wealth, he eschewed that methodology. Instead, he invested in people. Relationships mattered most to him. Strength always defined George. And the last six years battling cancer stretched him to his limits. It would have been understandable to relent, but he refused. He fought like a champ and inspired all who knew him. George Brown is survived by his wife of 45 years, Judith; son, Gregg; daughter-in-law, Jessica; grandchildren, Grace and Kellen; siblings, Linda Geiger (Merle) and Pam Farwell (Darrell). A service in his honor will be held on Sat., April 20, 10:00 a.m. at Evergreen Memorial Gardens. A Celebration of Life will follow at Club Green Meadows. Serendipitously, the day of his memorial will mark a major milestone - it will be 50 years from the day that George first met Judith on the beaches of Hawaii. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that you make donations in George's memory to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or Humane Society for Southwest Washington.

George Carl Brown

August 1, 1942 - April 3, 2013