William Brown

Passed away unexpectedly in Clearwater Beach, Florida on January 8, 2014 with his daughter at his side, at the age of 90. Our Dad was a world traveller who began his journey in Glasgow, Scotland on July 19, 1923. He was the seventh child born to John Hood Brown and Amelia Bryce Towers Wilson. He was predeceased by all of his siblings - John (Scotland), Molly (Scotland), Nan (England), Gus (Australia), Mattie (Australia) and Robert (KIA - Burma WWII). Dad was exempt from service in WWII as his 3 brothers were already serving. He joined the British Navy anyway and served on the aircraft carrier HMS Shah in the Indian Ocean area. When the war ended he returned to Glasgow. There he met the love of his life - May (1992). He immigrated to Australia, where she joined him and they were married. They also lived in New Zealand before returning to Scotland for the birth of their first child, Stephen. In 1954 they set out again - this time settling in Windsor, Ontario where they started a Canadian branch on the family tree with the births of 2 more children - Michelle and Craig. After raising the 3 of us, Dad retired from the Windsor Housing Authority and wanderlust set in again. They were just beginning to enjoy themselves, especially in Florida, when Mom was taken from him. He continued his travels alone with numerous trips to Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland and Florida. When Dad reached his eighties he gave up solitary travel and joined organized tour groups visiting such places as Hawaii, Italy, Spain, France and the Greek Isles, to name a few. It is very fitting that when God called him on his final journey to be reunited with his darling May that he was on vacation again. In between his travels, Dad loved to garden, attend the opera and go to the movie cinemas; but his greatest love, next to our Mom was the 3 of us. Left behind to mourn him are his heart broken children and their children - Stephen and Kathryn Brown (children Philip, Edith and Madeleine Brown) of Peterborough, Michelle (Shelley) and Bill Hazzard (children Cindy Robitaille, Bryan and Kristine Hazzard and Tom and Stephanie Shertzer) of Windsor, and Craig and Michele (Shelly) Brown (children Aidan and Emma Brown) of Ottawa. He was also a very special Big Grandpa to Andrew, Daniel, Erica, Trevor and Sarah. Also survived by many loving and caring nieces and nephews in Canada, USA, Scotland, England, Australia and South Africa. This kind and gentle man will truly be missed by many. Visitation will take place Friday January 17, from 2-4 & 7-9 pm at the Walter D. Kelly Life Celebration Centre, 1969 Wyandotte St., E. A private family service will be held with cremation to follow. Memorial donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

"God's finger touched him and he slept"