Obituary for William M. Brown
William (Bill) Morgan Brown went to be with the lord at the age of 89 at The Le Roy Village Green on December 24, 2019. William was born on November 30, 1930 at Highland Hospital to the late Margaret Griffin Brown and Calvin Brown of Geneseo, NY. He graduated from Geneseo High School in 1950 and joined the Air Force in 1951 where he served in Korea for two years, separating from service in 1955. William returned to live in Geneseo where he met his future bride, the late Judith Ann Warner, a Library Science student at SUNY Geneseo, whom he married in 1956.
After encouragement from his wife, Bill eventually went back to school and earned his Masters in Fine Arts & Teaching from the Rochester Institute of Technology where he was hired on as staff after graduation and lead the Adult Education Program in the Arts. He was then offered a teaching position at North Texas University where he and his wife relocated to Denton, Texas for a few years before returning to the Rochester area to again teach at RIT in the late 60’s.
Bill and Judy adopted their only child, Heather, in 1972, and shortly after he was offered a position at Dutchess Community College where he and his family relocated to Hyde Park, NY for 4 years before once again returning to the Rochester area to teach at RIT. It wasn’t long before he was offered his final position to run the Art Program at Genesee Community College where he taught for 20 years (retiring in 1998). It was at GCC where he finally put down his roots and settled his family in Le Roy, NY.
Bill’s fondest memories were of his childhood in Geneseo, growing up at 16 Elm Street with his grandmother Mary Ryan Griffin and his only brother, the late John (Jack) M. Brown. He could reminisce for hours about their adventures and friendships. Even though he and his wife Judy were not able to have the 12 children they had always dreamed of (yes, 12!), he took immense pride in his grandchildren and thoroughly enjoyed helping raise them and watching them grow.
Bill is survived by his daughter, Heather Brown Zerillo (E. Phillip, Le Roy, NY) and his six grandchildren: Heather N. Zerillo (New York, NY), Dylan R. Zerillo (Mesa, AZ), Keara V. Zerillo, Samuel M. Zerillo, Maia R. Zerillo and William P. Zerillo (all of Le Roy, NY). He is also survived by his many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews whom he all loved as his own. Bill is pre-deceased by wife, Judith W. Brown, his brother John M. Brown and his sister-in-law Ann Wilkie Brown.
Calling hours will be from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday, December 29th at Cameron, Brady & Steuber Funeral Home, 111 Wolcott Street, Le Roy. A Funeral Mass will be held for Bill at Our Lady of Mercy, 44 Lake Street, Le Roy at 10 a.m. on Monday, December 30th, with caravan to St. Mary’s Cemetery in Geneseo immediately following. All are then invited to join us for a luncheon at The Big Tree Inn after the burial ceremony. In lieu of flowers, Bill would prefer a donation be made to St. Joseph Catholic School, 2 Summit Street, Batavia, NY 14020.
After encouragement from his wife, Bill eventually went back to school and earned his Masters in Fine Arts & Teaching from the Rochester Institute of Technology where he was hired on as staff after graduation and lead the Adult Education Program in the Arts. He was then offered a teaching position at North Texas University where he and his wife relocated to Denton, Texas for a few years before returning to the Rochester area to again teach at RIT in the late 60’s.
Bill and Judy adopted their only child, Heather, in 1972, and shortly after he was offered a position at Dutchess Community College where he and his family relocated to Hyde Park, NY for 4 years before once again returning to the Rochester area to teach at RIT. It wasn’t long before he was offered his final position to run the Art Program at Genesee Community College where he taught for 20 years (retiring in 1998). It was at GCC where he finally put down his roots and settled his family in Le Roy, NY.
Bill’s fondest memories were of his childhood in Geneseo, growing up at 16 Elm Street with his grandmother Mary Ryan Griffin and his only brother, the late John (Jack) M. Brown. He could reminisce for hours about their adventures and friendships. Even though he and his wife Judy were not able to have the 12 children they had always dreamed of (yes, 12!), he took immense pride in his grandchildren and thoroughly enjoyed helping raise them and watching them grow.
Bill is survived by his daughter, Heather Brown Zerillo (E. Phillip, Le Roy, NY) and his six grandchildren: Heather N. Zerillo (New York, NY), Dylan R. Zerillo (Mesa, AZ), Keara V. Zerillo, Samuel M. Zerillo, Maia R. Zerillo and William P. Zerillo (all of Le Roy, NY). He is also survived by his many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews whom he all loved as his own. Bill is pre-deceased by wife, Judith W. Brown, his brother John M. Brown and his sister-in-law Ann Wilkie Brown.
Calling hours will be from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday, December 29th at Cameron, Brady & Steuber Funeral Home, 111 Wolcott Street, Le Roy. A Funeral Mass will be held for Bill at Our Lady of Mercy, 44 Lake Street, Le Roy at 10 a.m. on Monday, December 30th, with caravan to St. Mary’s Cemetery in Geneseo immediately following. All are then invited to join us for a luncheon at The Big Tree Inn after the burial ceremony. In lieu of flowers, Bill would prefer a donation be made to St. Joseph Catholic School, 2 Summit Street, Batavia, NY 14020.