|
|
|
Victor Willis Brown (Vic) was born in Overton, Nebraska on August 4, 1919, on a thriving farm, to Lucy Leona Brown and Robert DeLeon Brown. He is predeceased by his parents, brother, Chester Brown and son, Duane Kirby Brown. Mr. Brown learned there the meaning of hard work, helping to care for crops, cattle, pigs and chickens. Upon graduating from Overton High School, he attended Nebraska Wesleyan University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. After graduation, Mr. Brown came to San Diego where he worked in the aircraft industry at Consolidated Vultee Aircraft as an inspector and leadman. It was at that time that he met and married his wife, Ruth W alter Brown on November 17, 1944. During the war, he served in the Air Force as a Ball Turret Gunner in a B-17, After the war ended, Mr. Brown returned with his wife, Ruth, and their infant son, Duane (born October 18, 1945) to San Diego. Within a few years, they purchased a lot in Pacific Beach on Diamond Street and built the home which they now occupy. After the war, Mr. Brown worked in the Production and Marketing Administration of the US Department of Agriculture as a field appraiser. Five years later found him working for the City of San Diego where he helped to put together leases for San Pasqua11ands. In 1954, he joined the Extension Service for the University of California where he did surveys and photography. After 14 years of working on water problems, studying drip irrigation, promoting control burns and filming, he was placed in the administration section. He attended UCLA to obtain his master's degree in business administration.. He then worked for the University of California in the Agricultural Extension Service, as a Farm Advisor specializing in beef, dairy, and forage crops. He completed his career as County Director at the University of California Agricultural Extension Service, helping farmers improve efficiency in production and marketing. Always the inventor, Mr. Brown built a glass-enclosed model to study and photograph root systems of growing plants to see how they were being affected by salts in the water. He also made films with synchronized patriotic music that were shown at conventions. .In 1984, he was awarded the California Range Manager of the Year award for the State of California. In addition to his work for the county, Mr. Brown was active in serving his church and community. For many years, he served as a Cub Scout Master. He was also the District Governor for Toastmasters International, and an active member of the San Diego Amateur Movie Club, the Fine Woodworkers Association, and the Wood Turners Association. Over his forty plus years of membership at the Pacific Beach Presbyterian Church, Mr. Brown has shared his many talents in leadership, photographic documentation of our church history and woodworking projects. Many years ago, he helped create the Wednesday Work Crew, a group of retired men devoted to the maintenance and improvement of the church buildings. His skill and imagination went far beyond Wednesday mornings, appearing in projects large and small, with little fanfare but always with excellence. His last woodworking project., entered in this year's Del Mar Fair is a hand-turned Chalice of walnut, with crushed jade to fill the cracks, which is now being used with a bowl of Carob wood from one of the trees that. used to line Diamond Street, for communion during the month of August at. Pacific Beach Presbyterian Church. Mr. Brown is survived by his wife, Ruth Walter Brown, his granddaughter, Heather Noel Brown, and a great grandson, Amadeus Jurik Garcia Brown of Catalina.
|
