Obituary: Donald S. Brown

Donald Shockley Brown, an Army Air Force veteran who served in World War II, died July 19. He was 90.

A funeral service to celebrate Brown's life will be held at 12:30 p.m. July 23, at St. Rita Catholic Church, 2907 Dunleer Road, followed by interment at Oak Lawn Cemetery.

Brown was born May 12, 1922, in Philadelphia, Pa., to parents Hector and Susie Brown.

The family relocated to Baltimore County, and Brown grew up in a house on North Point Road in Fort Howard.

"Dad led a simple but happy life there on the edge of the Chesapeake Bay," his daughter, Susan McTighe, said.

After graduating from Sparrows Point High School in 1940, Brown went to work for Pan American Airlines. He was a member of the crash boat crew, which provided routine and emergency services to the trans-ocean flying boats that landed at the old Harbor Field, according to McTighe.

"While with Pan Am, Dad once was chosen (in his words) 'to carry the bags for General MacArthur,' who had flown into Baltimore," McTighe said.

The following is an excerpt from the eulogy McTighe plans to read today at her father's funeral:

"In April 1943, with World War II raging, Dad enlisted in the Army Air Force. He served for three years as an airplane and engine mechanic with the Air Transport Command in India in the Assam Valley.

Dad seldom spoke of his service in the war. If we asked him what he did, he’d simply say, 'I flew The Hump.' Only recently did he explain that 'The Hump' (in his words) 'is a little mountain (range) called the Himalayas.'

And that the planes he flew on were transporting gasoline to the Allied Forces in China’s Kunming Valley. The supply route that he flew came to be known as the 'Aluminum Trail' because so many planes did not make it to their final destination.

Dad told me a few weeks ago that he had flown to India across the Atlantic, via Africa and had returned to the U.S. by boat (during a typhoon, no less), traveling via Ceylon, Singapore and the Phillipines.

So by the time he was 24 years old, Dad had literally traveled around the world!"

After the war, Brown returned to Fort Howard. While out with his buddies one night, he met a pretty 23-year-old nurse from the Fort Howard VA Medical Center who would become "the love of his life," according to McTighe.

Betty and Don Brown were married in 1947 and settled in Dundalk, where they lived together for nearly 65 years in a little house on Queensway.

"Over those years, they would welcome eight children and their spouses, 21 grandchildren and seven great-grandkids into their world," McTighe said.

Brown worked as an airplane mechanic and maintenance inspector in the Maryland Air National Guard for 37 years. He referred to himself as the "guy who says a plane is good to go," according to McTighe.

"In fact, I was told by one of Dad’s colleagues years ago that many pilots at the Guard would not take off unless they knew that “Brownie” had checked out the plane," she said.

In his retirement, Brown enjoyed working on cars and watching NASCAR races. He traveled to races with his sons and buddies and watched the races on TV when he couldn't attend in person.

He also liked gardening, an activity that he was able to enjoy almost until the time of his death, his daughter said.

In addition to his wife, daughter and grandchildren, Brown is survived by sons Stephen, David and Dennis Brown; daughters Joan Walters, Patricia Ketler, Annette Moore and Karen Taylor; and brother Stuart Brown.

Family members request that those desiring make donations to the St. Rita Supper Table, St. Rita Church, 2907 Dunleer Road, Dundalk, MD 21222.