HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-10-31 William Bill Brown, former mayor, councilman in NPB, 82 (Palm Beach Post)William `Bill' Brown, former mayor,
councilman in North Palm Beach, 82
By Joe Brogan
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
NORTH PALM BEACH —
Former Mayor William H. "Bill"
Brown, who led efforts to pre-
serve what is
now John D.
MacArthur
Beach State
Park, died
Wednesday at
age 82.
Mr. Brown
also was Pratt
& Whitney
project man-
ager for the
SR-71 Black-
bird spy plane engine.
Pratt's J-58 engine powered
the high -altitude plane, which did
surveillance photography over
much of the former Soviet Union
before the end of the Cold War.
Mr. Brown
Obituary
After retiring from Pratt &
Whitney, Mr. Brown served as
mayor from 1979 to 1981 and was
a two -term village councilman.
He also was a charter member
of the conservation board that
made the development decisions
that transformed the former Air
Force Beach tin Singer Island into
John D. MacArthur Beach State
Park.
"He was a real exponent of
strict building codes and a strong
community appearance," village
Councilman Charles O'Meilia
said. "He was also very environ-
mentally sensitive, which led to
his appointment to the (park)
conservation board."
Mr. Brown was born March 2,
1916, in Vicksburg, Miss., and
was a 1939 graduate of Missis-
sippi State University with a me-
chanical engineering degree.
He recently received an
award from the Mississippi State
School of Engineering for being
its most -distinguished graduate.
In later years, he spent much
time caring for Ruth, his wife of 58
years, who was a victim of Alzhe-
imer's Disease until her death in
August 1997.
He is survived by his children,
Linda Walden of Houston; Wil-
liam H. "Bud" Brown Jr. and wife
Nora of Palm Beach Gardens;
Thomas G. "T.G." Brown and wife
Barbara of North Palm Beach;
brother Bertrand Brown and his
wife Betty; nine grandchildren
and six great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be
held at 1 p.m. Monday at Thomas
L. Price Funeral Home, 553
Northlake Blvd., with Rabbi Alan
Sherman officiating.