Gilbert Clark Brown

Gilbert Clark Brown, age 90, died on New Year’s Day in Fairfax VA from complications of a stroke. Beloved father of Gerald (Ellen Boyle) and Adrian Kuzel (Joe), grandfather of Talia Baum (Lawrence), Evan Brown (Stephanie), John and Mark Kuzel, and great-grandfather of Eliana and Alexis Baum and Susannah Brown, he was born December 30th 1928 to Rose Landman Brown and Irving Brown. He married Shirley Haft in 1948. He received his undergraduate degree from SUNY Cortland and his master´s and Doctorate in education from Columbia University. He had a distinguished career in education, serving as headmaster for 24 years at the Escola Americana do Río de Janeiro and for four years at the Colegio Lincoln in San José, Costa Rica. He was also a professor of education at the University of Florida, Kalamazoo College, and Memphis State University. After he retired from academic life he led workshops for American school boards around the globe. In 2014 after the death of his wife of 65 years he turned to writing, eventually producing 6 novels. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. For the last 25 years of his life he lived at the Governor’s Club in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, which he called “Shangri La”. Other than Rio, it was his favorite place to be. Besides his immediate family he will be remembered by scores of friends, students, colleagues, tennis and golf partners and opponents, and joke lovers the world over. In his later years he renewed his connection to his undergraduate alma mater, establishing the Dr. Gilbert C. Brown ‘51 and Shirley Haft Brown ‘51 Scholarship to assist Cortland graduates headed to medical school. Contributions in their honor may be sent to Cortland College Foundation, P.O. Box 2000, Cortland, NY 13045.