Gary L. Brown, 78 of Greenville, Ohio, passed away on Saturday, June 3, 2023, at Brookdale of Greenville, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. He was born November 15, 1944, in Greenville, OH to the late Marvin and T. Jane Brown of Pitsburg, OH.
Gary grew up in Pitsburg and graduated from Brookville High School in 1963. He graduated from General Motors Institute, Flint, Michigan 1968, with a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering and received a Juris Doctorate from the University of Toledo in 1972. Gary started his 48-year law career in Marietta, Ohio. He returned to Darke County to serve as assistant and juvenile prosecutor and served as law director and chairman of the Civil Service Commission for the city of Greenville for 3 years.He then entered private practice for the rest of his legal career. Gary was a member of the Darke County Bar Association and served a term as president as well as a member of the ethics committee for many years. He was also chair of the Darke County Law Library for 20 years. Gary was appointed to a 4-year term on the Board of Governors for the Ohio State Bar Association.
Throughout his career, Gary had an interest in the needs of abused and neglected children and was on the board and president of C.A.S.A. (Court Appointed Special Advocate). He became the guardian of two children whose parents were deceased.
Active in many community organizations, Gary was an initial trustee and served as chair of the board of the H.O.P.E. Foundation, now the Darke County Foundation for 17 years. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club and served as president. Gary served on the Darke County Center for the Arts and served a term as chair of the board. He was a member of the Greenville Public Library Board and chair when the levy to enlarge and improve the library was passed.
Gary was an avid runner, completing many half- and full-marathons, bicyclist, and photographer. However, sailing was his passion, whether on Grand Lake St. Mary’s on Orinoco Flow, Lake Erie, or sailing the trade winds in the British Virgin Islands. He was a member of the St. Mary’s Boat Club and served on the board of governors and as commodore. He enjoyed traveling with his camera focused on the scenery and frustrating his family by asking them to pose for yet another scenic spot in all 50 states. Gary loved cheering on the Cincinnati Reds, OSU football, and Cincinnati Bengals.
Gary is survived by Martha Jackson Brown, daughter Hilary (Robert)Young, son Ryan (Stacie) Brown; grandchildren, Blade and Lorelei Deemer, Emily and Adelaide Brown; sister, Judy Brown; brother, Ned (Deb) Brown, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncle, cousins and family memories with Marjorie and Jerry Repasz, Dan and Patti Jackson, and Marian and Mike Walsh. Also surviving are the children for whom Gary was guardian, Sam Worley and Tiffany (James) Cummings and their children, Kaleb, Carter, and Landyn.
Martha, Hilary and Ryan would like to acknowledge Tom Guillozet who was a friend and advocate who assisted Gary with the closing of his law practice and stayed involved to the end of his life. Also Bobbi Hampshire, Gary’s secretary, who assisted him thru the last years of his legal career.
The family would also like to recognize the wonderful care given to Gary over the last 3 years at Brookdale of Greenville and the end-of-life care provided by Everheart Hospice.
A celebration of life will be Thursday, June 29, 2023, from 5:00-7:00 pm at Montage Café, downtown Greenville.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the Darke County Foundation, 323 South Broadway, Greenville, OH 45331 or EverHeart Hospice, 1350 N. Broadway, Greenville, OH 45331.
Arrangements by Zechar Baily Funeral Home Greenville, Ohio.
Condolences for the family may be sent to http://www.zecharbailey.com.
