LUDLOW, Vt. – Dean R. Brown Jr., of Coconut Creek, Fla., went home to be with the Lord on July 4, 2026, at the age of 97. He is survived by his beloved wife, Margaret; his son, James; his grandchildren, Morgan and Tyler; and his great-grandchildren, Alphonse, Augustus, Eli, and Margaret.
Dean was born in Belchertown, Mass., on June 16, 1929, to Ethel Mae Piper and Dean R. Brown Sr. He was a student of Ware High School, where he was a catcher on the baseball team. He continued his baseball career in Grafton and throughout his life.
After school, he enlisted in the Army and joined the 1st Infantry Division, and was soon deployed to Germany for four years. He came back to a family that had moved to Bellows Falls, where he met his wife, Margaret. They were married on June 20, 1953. He went on to work for Connolly Fuels delivering coal until Mr. Connolly recommended him to the local police force. He was hired onto the force and in uniform directing traffic the next day for Bellows Falls Police. He quickly rose through the ranks to become the Bellows Falls night sergeant, and then moved to Ludlow, where he became the chief of police. He started a robust career in public service when he was offered a town manager position in Hartland, Vt. He went on to be the town manager of Wallingford, Vt., Cavendish, Vt., and finally his favorite home, Ludlow, Vt., where he was the town manager for 24 years.
Dean retired to sunny Margate, Fla., to follow his son.
Dean was also an avid horseman, racing horses for 60 years. The racetracks of Saratoga, Yonkers, Vernon, Green Mountain, Hinsdale, and Pompano Park all saw his mark. His favorite horse was America’s Cup, and his favorite trainer and drivers were his son, Jim Brown, and good friend Tom Coddington.
After retirement, Dean couldn’t sit still for long. He and his wife flipped 14 mobile homes and made friends with all of the snowbirds in Coral Cay Mobile Home Park. He, Margaret, and their granddaughter Morgan were always checking in on snowbirds’ homes and weeding gardens in the South Florida heat.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his stepmother, Roberta Brown; his sisters, Arlene Parker and Barbara Grimes; his brother, Frank Brown; and his half-siblings, Deane Brown and Marlene Morse. He will be greatly missed.