Donald A Brown

Arlington, VT – Donald A Brown, 99, a longtime resident of Arlington, VT, sadly passed away on January 14, 2023 after a short illness and being admitted to the Southern Vermont Medical Center.

Donald was born in Waltham, Massachusetts on January 3, 1924. He graduated from high school and went on to attend WIT and MIT in Boston.

His education was interrupted when he enlisted in the United States Navy and served his country during WWII. After the war, while visiting his brother’s wife in Bennington, VT at then Putnam Memorial Hospital, he met Eleanor, a native Vermonter, who was the attending nurse. She caught his eye and they were married shortly after on October 16th, 1948. Together they had eight children and celebrated over 52 years of marriage until her death in 2000.

A few years later he met Irene Novotny who had lost her husband. They became partners and brought each other comfort, love and happiness.

Donald was chief engineer at Mack Molding from 1950-1989. He owned and operated his own custom machine shop where he had completed a job just a few weeks prior to his death. He was a member of the Free & Accepted Masons Red MT. Lodge in Arlington since 1946, enjoyed woodworking, fiddling with the Kelly Stand Symphony Orchestra and played in a harmonica band for several years. Donald also enjoyed traveling, sail boating and vegetable gardening. He served as the Justice of the Peace and was a former member of the Arlington Zoning Board. He cherished his church community and was a pillar of the St. James Episcopal Church in Arlington for over 75 years, serving on the vestry and making building improvements. In later years he enjoyed the senior meals and ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out) breakfasts at West Mountain Inn.

Donald is survived by his children Cynthia Cook (Sidney) of North Carolina, Deborah Silverman of Arlington, VT, Jeffrey Brown (Joan) of Castleton, VT, Kathryn Ross (Noah) of Pleasantville, New York, Nancy Seagler (Phil) of Macon, GA, James Brown (Suzanna) of Georgia, VT, David brown (Kat) of Arlington, VT, his adopted son Fahri Karakaya (Ferayi) of Massachusetts, his partner of many years, Irene Novotny of Arlington, 18 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Eleanor R. (Mooney), his son Steven Brown, his grandson Jake Cook, his brother Robert Brown, his step-grandson Sam Brown and a close nephew Steven Brown.

A celebration of life for Donald will be held Saturday February 11, 2023 at 11am at St. James Episcopal Church in Arlington. Interment will be private. There are no visiting hours. If friends desire, memorial gifts in Donald’s memory may be made to St. James Episcopal Church, c/o Hanson-Walbridge & Shea Funeral Home Arlington Chapel P.O. Box 528 Arlington, VT 05250. To send the family personal condolences, please visit www.sheafuneralhomes.com.

The family has entrusted arrangements to the care of Hanson-Walbridge & Shea Funeral Home, Historic Route 7A Arlington, VT.