David Arthur Brown

David Arthur Brown passed away in Austin, TX on June 5, 2015, at the age of 77, after a 37 year battle with Multiple Myeloma. Even though the battle was long and difficult, he did not allow his disease to define him. Through all his coping with the symptoms and treatments, he never lost his spirit or complained. Dave frequently interacted with caregivers and patients in the myeloma community both to help others and educate himself. Throughout the years, friends and family put him in touch with newly diagnosed myeloma patients, and he tried to be helpful and encourage them. He also tried to help fellow patients at support group meetings and at International Myeloma Foundation seminars.

Dave was born on Mare Island Naval Base in California on September 24, 1937 to Stanley Winford Brown, a career Navy dentist, and his wife, Dorus Moser Brown. He graduated from Millington Central High School in Millington, TN. He received both his BS and MS in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and went on to receive a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. While completing his PhD, he spent 9 months working at the newly created U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington, DC.

He began his career in California with Lockheed Missiles and Space Company in 1962 as a Senior Scientist. Most of his career was spent as a Senior Clinical Information Systems developer at Technicon Data Systems which later became ALLTEL Healthcare and then Eclipsys. He retired in 1998. Following his retirement, Dave became a member of Fellowship Forum and SIR (Sons In Retirement) Branch 35.

He and his wife made their home and raised their family in Cupertino, CA. He was an avid tennis player and enjoyed playing bridge with friends. He liked tinkering with electronics and repairing things around the house. He also enjoyed singing in the De Anza Chorale, hiking at Lake Tahoe and travelling. Dave and his wife travelled to many places around the world, but his favorite destination was Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii, which they visited many times. He loved listening to music, and he and his wife were San Jose Opera season ticket holders for many years. Everywhere he went, Dave was immediately liked and admired for his intelligent sense of humor, patience and good nature. Dave and his wife moved to Austin, TX in April 2015 to be closer to their elder daughter and her family.

Dave is survived by his wife of 54 years, Prudence Hughes Brown of Austin, TX; his brother, Stanley Mason Brown (Dell), of Fairhope, AL; his daughters Leslie Suffoletta (Robert) of Austin, TX; and Emily Brown Merriman (John) of Ewa Beach, HI; and four grandchildren, James and Thomas Suffoletta of Austin, TX and Jessica and Andrew Merriman of Ewa Beach, HI.

Our family would like to extend our deepest thanks and gratitude to the physicians and staff of the Hematology and Medical Oncology Departments at Palo Alto Medical Foundation.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the International Myeloma Foundation at www.myeloma.org.

Condolences may be made at www.cookwaldenforestoaks.com.

A celebration of life gathering will be held later this summer in California.