Samuel Potter Brown III
April 14, 1928 – October 28, 2021
Born April 14, 1928, Drexel Hill, PA to Samuel Potter Brown and Emma Smith Brown
School: Garrettford Grammer School
Upper Darby High School, class of 1946; Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, president of class of '46
A Capella choir – bass voice
Syracuse Univ. 1946-1950 (Cross country scholarship) – Phys Ed major
US Naval Air Force pilot: 1950-52
Sports/ Awards: PA State Cross Country State Champion – 1945
District I Champion/ Cross Country – 1945
Syracuse Univ. – Varsity cross country, Track, Boxing
Delaware County Athletic Hall of Fame – 2003
Married: 1955 – Joan Marie Heitzman
Children: Samuel Potter (W. Chester, PA), William Francis (Forest, VA), Mathew Heitzman (Lancaster, PA)
Sam is survived by his sister, Barbara McDonald (FL)
Grandchildren: 14; Great grandchildren: 4
Business: Sam Brown Tree Service – 1954
Sam Brown Nursery – 1962; Malvern, PA. Business flourished and sold to John Potter, 1982
Dad wrote the weekly column: "The Outdoor Gardener" for the Suburban and Wayne Times
Sam Brown Wholesale Nursery – 1982; sold 1990
Started a nursery in Chester Springs, PA - 1990; sold 1994
Moved to Hersheys Mill, W. Chester, PA - 1994 to present
Good News Fishing Charters – founded 1994
Hobbies:
Field trial hunting dogs (continued from boyhood with his father) – raised and trained champion spaniels and weimaraners
Avid tennis player until age 90
Fishing – Captain's license; charter captain and enjoyed since a young boy
Singing: bass in Univ. of Pennsylvania Glee Club; multiple church choirs
Artist – took up watercolour at age 85 and continued until the time of his hospitalization
Dad loved painting scenes from nature, hunting, portraits, Chester County landscapes, & wildlife
Dad loved being outside, running his dogs in the woods; loved the sea and the bay
Active in the local Republican Party; Local chairman; manning the polls; dad loved politics and was a student of American history and the Constitution
Avid reader, loved poetry; Bible. Dad was always reading and typically was into 3 books at any given time
Dad's primary values were honesty, integrity, hard work, courage amidst adversity, laughter, optimism in life, care for those less fortunate, charity, unfailing faithfulness to his friends and family, and above all his faith and love of Jesus Christ from which all of his other qualities followed.
At the end of each day dad would give thanks to the Lord for life and family. He prayed that God would bless the USA which he loved. He was always willing to fight for freedom and never give in to any enemy who wanted to take our blessed freedoms away. Vigilance was always his watchword. Dad expressed his sense of blessing for his "truly wonderful wife Joan" who he praised as an incredible mother as well. Dad wrote further: "Without this lady, I doubt I would have succeeded in life; Joan always stood by me and was always positive as I tried to succeed in life and in business."
Memorial Service for our dad, Samuel Potter Brown III
April 14, 1028 – October 28, 2021
Dad was a tough guy - national cross country champion, Navy pilot, boxer, an incredibly hard working tree nurseryman, avid tennis player, and he loved to fish. He also had another side as very emotional man who was a passionate artist who loved to read poetry. I remember way back in the 70's, we were all in the living room watching a movie called Brian's Song about the great black football player Dale Sayers and his friendship with teammate Brian Piccolo. Picollo was dying at the end and it was a real tear jerker – I'll always remember dad burst out in tears and ran out of the room. He was a very social guy and he depended on his friends literally every day. I am sure that he is having a truly wonderful adventure as he meets up with so many of his old friends in heaven.
One thing that few would know is how generous dad has been his whole life. He gave extravagantly to charity and to folks in need. He never talked about it; he just did it. Dad also had a massive reputation for honesty and integrity. He never hesitated to take the unpopular stand when he knew it was right, no matter what anyone else thought. I remember dad coming out to school board meetings and raising a fuss. He went right into Great Valley High School when he heard that the bathrooms were full of smokers and insisted on an outside smoking area. He disliked anything fake or phony, especially in people.
Growing up, pretty much everyone in Malvern knew dad and knew that he would be there if they needed help. He always stood up for the underdog, visiting the sick and dying, often when no one else would. He offered jobs at Sam Brown Nursery to troubled and fatherless kids from the Deveraux Foundation and other places, and he expected a lot out of them. Dad did not have much tolerance for laziness, but he was patient with these kids and coached them along, giving them a chance, even when they had a lot to learn and were not doing a good job. I have heard a number of his hires, high school kids mostly, say that they learned the meaning of hard work at Sam Brown Nursery. These guys told me that these lessons have served them well in all of life.
Dad was active in so many service groups that it's hard to remember them all. We always had someone living with us who needed a temporary shelter, as well as a steady stream of foreign exchange students. Some stayed for over a year with us and became part of the family. I don't know how he found time, by the was involved in Big Brothers, Indian Guides, Rotary Club, and other organizations. He tried to help out any time he saw a genuine need.
Dad loved his family, and somehow, no matter how busy, he and my mom made the time to visit us, travelling all over the country to see their grandkids who they adored. He loved his wife of 65 years and was working on being a better husband all the way up to his death. Dad had a quick temper– he knew it and was always working to be better. He was reading books on marriage and working to improve himself up until the day he went into the hospital.
So much else to say - he so often had a twinkle in his eye and possessed a silly sense of humour which we three boys all inherited (for better or worse). He was creative and a natural artist. At age 89 he decided to get some formal training and took up water color painting. He painted local Chester County scenes, hunting, fishing, portraits, American Indians, and all the things that he loved. He even won some awards at juried art shows.
Dad loved the ocean and the bay ever since spending summers at Tom's River, NJ as a young boy. He became a sailing and swimming instructor at a summer camp there; then a lifeguard at Ocean City. His heart was always on the water and he wanted to get back there every chance he could. He was a passionate fisherman and an expert at making his own lures. He loved to go out to Fortescue, on the Delaware Bay, stay in a rustic shack, get up at the crack of dawn to get breakfast with the locals. They loved my dad and that's why they told him their secrets - where the fish were running!
I think dad's passion for life was really motivated by his love of God's creation. As I think we all are, all he did was driven by love; love of others, of nature, of music, of worship, and of all aspects of God's world. He loved the beauty of the earth and always sought what was good and true. He loved excellence in sports and his favourite teams were always the ones that had individuals with not just excellence but integrity.
Dad read a lot and we enjoyed exchanging books. Dad was usually up at 6 and he spent some time in the Bible and almost always went out to breakfast where he had developed a family of great friends. He thrived on being with people and had great respect and loyalty to his friends. He loved to learn and spent part of each day reading & studying: politics, the Constitution, American history and the Founders, the Bible, and endless new topics that interested him. He was intensely patriotic and loved and defended our national heritage. Only two weeks ago, I sent dad a book of poetry. We both were voracious readers have exchanged books all our lives.
So much could be said, but I'll wrap up here…..Dad was a never-ending source of encouragement to me and my brothers. No matter what tough thing we were going through, and we have had our share, he was there for us. He always had a positive word of encouragement to build us up. His motto was "Hold the boat steady and Never give up". He lived this out his entire life in incredible ways. I never forgot the lesson. I think in everything I do I secretly have wanted to please my dad. Going forward, I will continue to do this for the rest of my life. His legacy will be a part of hundreds of people who he has influenced for good.
As his son, I honestly consider him the greatest man I know. I must admit, that over the years I have thought about this moment when I would need to stand up and say something about my father. I always knew it would be an impossible task and felt that it was useless to try. As I speak now, I still feel that way. No words can do justice to what this wonderful man has meant to me and my brothers who knew him best. I can only voice such a small part of who he was and what he meant to us.
We made sure to tell him how much we loved him over the past weeks in the intensive care unit. He had no fear of dying and made it clear that he was very ready to leave this life and be with his God who he loved deeply. If there was one thing that my father wanted for his friends it would be that they learned to trust God in everything and grow ever closer to Him.
Dad was a straight shooter: He may have been perfectly ready to go but he also made it clear that the food was terrible and he would be very happy to get back home to fishing again. Until the end he still had a passion for living, so it was very hard to see him leave us.
In Paul's letter from death row in a jail cell he wrote to the Philippians: "To live is Christ, to die is gain". Dad knew this at a deep level. Dad fought hard to the very end – he was always such a tough fighter and he lived this to his very last moments.
We wish dad Godspeed and will miss him more than words can tell.
--For my brothers Samuel and Mathew,
Wm. Francis Brown
October, 30, 2021
Sullivan House
Hersheys Mill, W. Chester, PA 10-29-2021
April 14, 1928 – October 28, 2021
Born April 14, 1928, Drexel Hill, PA to Samuel Potter Brown and Emma Smith Brown
School: Garrettford Grammer School
Upper Darby High School, class of 1946; Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, president of class of '46
A Capella choir – bass voice
Syracuse Univ. 1946-1950 (Cross country scholarship) – Phys Ed major
US Naval Air Force pilot: 1950-52
Sports/ Awards: PA State Cross Country State Champion – 1945
District I Champion/ Cross Country – 1945
Syracuse Univ. – Varsity cross country, Track, Boxing
Delaware County Athletic Hall of Fame – 2003
Married: 1955 – Joan Marie Heitzman
Children: Samuel Potter (W. Chester, PA), William Francis (Forest, VA), Mathew Heitzman (Lancaster, PA)
Sam is survived by his sister, Barbara McDonald (FL)
Grandchildren: 14; Great grandchildren: 4
Business: Sam Brown Tree Service – 1954
Sam Brown Nursery – 1962; Malvern, PA. Business flourished and sold to John Potter, 1982
Dad wrote the weekly column: "The Outdoor Gardener" for the Suburban and Wayne Times
Sam Brown Wholesale Nursery – 1982; sold 1990
Started a nursery in Chester Springs, PA - 1990; sold 1994
Moved to Hersheys Mill, W. Chester, PA - 1994 to present
Good News Fishing Charters – founded 1994
Hobbies:
Field trial hunting dogs (continued from boyhood with his father) – raised and trained champion spaniels and weimaraners
Avid tennis player until age 90
Fishing – Captain's license; charter captain and enjoyed since a young boy
Singing: bass in Univ. of Pennsylvania Glee Club; multiple church choirs
Artist – took up watercolour at age 85 and continued until the time of his hospitalization
Dad loved painting scenes from nature, hunting, portraits, Chester County landscapes, & wildlife
Dad loved being outside, running his dogs in the woods; loved the sea and the bay
Active in the local Republican Party; Local chairman; manning the polls; dad loved politics and was a student of American history and the Constitution
Avid reader, loved poetry; Bible. Dad was always reading and typically was into 3 books at any given time
Dad's primary values were honesty, integrity, hard work, courage amidst adversity, laughter, optimism in life, care for those less fortunate, charity, unfailing faithfulness to his friends and family, and above all his faith and love of Jesus Christ from which all of his other qualities followed.
At the end of each day dad would give thanks to the Lord for life and family. He prayed that God would bless the USA which he loved. He was always willing to fight for freedom and never give in to any enemy who wanted to take our blessed freedoms away. Vigilance was always his watchword. Dad expressed his sense of blessing for his "truly wonderful wife Joan" who he praised as an incredible mother as well. Dad wrote further: "Without this lady, I doubt I would have succeeded in life; Joan always stood by me and was always positive as I tried to succeed in life and in business."
Memorial Service for our dad, Samuel Potter Brown III
April 14, 1028 – October 28, 2021
Dad was a tough guy - national cross country champion, Navy pilot, boxer, an incredibly hard working tree nurseryman, avid tennis player, and he loved to fish. He also had another side as very emotional man who was a passionate artist who loved to read poetry. I remember way back in the 70's, we were all in the living room watching a movie called Brian's Song about the great black football player Dale Sayers and his friendship with teammate Brian Piccolo. Picollo was dying at the end and it was a real tear jerker – I'll always remember dad burst out in tears and ran out of the room. He was a very social guy and he depended on his friends literally every day. I am sure that he is having a truly wonderful adventure as he meets up with so many of his old friends in heaven.
One thing that few would know is how generous dad has been his whole life. He gave extravagantly to charity and to folks in need. He never talked about it; he just did it. Dad also had a massive reputation for honesty and integrity. He never hesitated to take the unpopular stand when he knew it was right, no matter what anyone else thought. I remember dad coming out to school board meetings and raising a fuss. He went right into Great Valley High School when he heard that the bathrooms were full of smokers and insisted on an outside smoking area. He disliked anything fake or phony, especially in people.
Growing up, pretty much everyone in Malvern knew dad and knew that he would be there if they needed help. He always stood up for the underdog, visiting the sick and dying, often when no one else would. He offered jobs at Sam Brown Nursery to troubled and fatherless kids from the Deveraux Foundation and other places, and he expected a lot out of them. Dad did not have much tolerance for laziness, but he was patient with these kids and coached them along, giving them a chance, even when they had a lot to learn and were not doing a good job. I have heard a number of his hires, high school kids mostly, say that they learned the meaning of hard work at Sam Brown Nursery. These guys told me that these lessons have served them well in all of life.
Dad was active in so many service groups that it's hard to remember them all. We always had someone living with us who needed a temporary shelter, as well as a steady stream of foreign exchange students. Some stayed for over a year with us and became part of the family. I don't know how he found time, by the was involved in Big Brothers, Indian Guides, Rotary Club, and other organizations. He tried to help out any time he saw a genuine need.
Dad loved his family, and somehow, no matter how busy, he and my mom made the time to visit us, travelling all over the country to see their grandkids who they adored. He loved his wife of 65 years and was working on being a better husband all the way up to his death. Dad had a quick temper– he knew it and was always working to be better. He was reading books on marriage and working to improve himself up until the day he went into the hospital.
So much else to say - he so often had a twinkle in his eye and possessed a silly sense of humour which we three boys all inherited (for better or worse). He was creative and a natural artist. At age 89 he decided to get some formal training and took up water color painting. He painted local Chester County scenes, hunting, fishing, portraits, American Indians, and all the things that he loved. He even won some awards at juried art shows.
Dad loved the ocean and the bay ever since spending summers at Tom's River, NJ as a young boy. He became a sailing and swimming instructor at a summer camp there; then a lifeguard at Ocean City. His heart was always on the water and he wanted to get back there every chance he could. He was a passionate fisherman and an expert at making his own lures. He loved to go out to Fortescue, on the Delaware Bay, stay in a rustic shack, get up at the crack of dawn to get breakfast with the locals. They loved my dad and that's why they told him their secrets - where the fish were running!
I think dad's passion for life was really motivated by his love of God's creation. As I think we all are, all he did was driven by love; love of others, of nature, of music, of worship, and of all aspects of God's world. He loved the beauty of the earth and always sought what was good and true. He loved excellence in sports and his favourite teams were always the ones that had individuals with not just excellence but integrity.
Dad read a lot and we enjoyed exchanging books. Dad was usually up at 6 and he spent some time in the Bible and almost always went out to breakfast where he had developed a family of great friends. He thrived on being with people and had great respect and loyalty to his friends. He loved to learn and spent part of each day reading & studying: politics, the Constitution, American history and the Founders, the Bible, and endless new topics that interested him. He was intensely patriotic and loved and defended our national heritage. Only two weeks ago, I sent dad a book of poetry. We both were voracious readers have exchanged books all our lives.
So much could be said, but I'll wrap up here…..Dad was a never-ending source of encouragement to me and my brothers. No matter what tough thing we were going through, and we have had our share, he was there for us. He always had a positive word of encouragement to build us up. His motto was "Hold the boat steady and Never give up". He lived this out his entire life in incredible ways. I never forgot the lesson. I think in everything I do I secretly have wanted to please my dad. Going forward, I will continue to do this for the rest of my life. His legacy will be a part of hundreds of people who he has influenced for good.
As his son, I honestly consider him the greatest man I know. I must admit, that over the years I have thought about this moment when I would need to stand up and say something about my father. I always knew it would be an impossible task and felt that it was useless to try. As I speak now, I still feel that way. No words can do justice to what this wonderful man has meant to me and my brothers who knew him best. I can only voice such a small part of who he was and what he meant to us.
We made sure to tell him how much we loved him over the past weeks in the intensive care unit. He had no fear of dying and made it clear that he was very ready to leave this life and be with his God who he loved deeply. If there was one thing that my father wanted for his friends it would be that they learned to trust God in everything and grow ever closer to Him.
Dad was a straight shooter: He may have been perfectly ready to go but he also made it clear that the food was terrible and he would be very happy to get back home to fishing again. Until the end he still had a passion for living, so it was very hard to see him leave us.
In Paul's letter from death row in a jail cell he wrote to the Philippians: "To live is Christ, to die is gain". Dad knew this at a deep level. Dad fought hard to the very end – he was always such a tough fighter and he lived this to his very last moments.
We wish dad Godspeed and will miss him more than words can tell.
--For my brothers Samuel and Mathew,
Wm. Francis Brown
October, 30, 2021
Sullivan House
Hersheys Mill, W. Chester, PA 10-29-2021
Samuel Potter Brown III
April 14, 1928 – October 28, 2021
Born April 14, 1928, Drexel Hill, PA to Samuel Potter Brown and Emma Smith Brown
School: Garrettford Grammer School
Upper Darby High School, class of 1946; Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, president of class of '46
A Capella choir – bass voice
Syracuse Univ. 1946-1950 (Cross country scholarship) – Phys Ed major
US Naval Air Force pilot: 1950-52
Sports/ Awards: PA State Cross Country State Champion – 1945
District I Champion/ Cross Country – 1945
Syracuse Univ. – Varsity cross country, Track, Boxing
Delaware County Athletic Hall of Fame – 2003
Married: 1955 – Joan Marie Heitzman
Children: Samuel Potter (W. Chester, PA), William Francis (Forest, VA), Mathew Heitzman (Lancaster, PA)
Sam is survived by his sister, Barbara McDonald (FL)
Grandchildren: 14; Great grandchildren: 4
Business: Sam Brown Tree Service – 1954
Sam Brown Nursery – 1962; Malvern, PA. Business flourished and sold to John Potter, 1982
Dad wrote the weekly column: "The Outdoor Gardener" for the Suburban and Wayne Times
Sam Brown Wholesale Nursery – 1982; sold 1990
Started a nursery in Chester Springs, PA - 1990; sold 1994
Moved to Hersheys Mill, W. Chester, PA - 1994 to present
Good News Fishing Charters – founded 1994
Hobbies:
Field trial hunting dogs (continued from boyhood with his father) – raised and trained champion spaniels and weimaraners
Avid tennis player until age 90
Fishing – Captain's license; charter captain and enjoyed since a young boy
Singing: bass in Univ. of Pennsylvania Glee Club; multiple church choirs
Artist – took up watercolour at age 85 and continued until the time of his hospitalization
Dad loved painting scenes from nature, hunting, portraits, Chester County landscapes, & wildlife
Dad loved being outside, running his dogs in the woods; loved the sea and the bay
Active in the local Republican Party; Local chairman; manning the polls; dad loved politics and was a student of American history and the Constitution
Avid reader, loved poetry; Bible. Dad was always reading and typically was into 3 books at any given time
Dad's primary values were honesty, integrity, hard work, courage amidst adversity, laughter, optimism in life, care for those less fortunate, charity, unfailing faithfulness to his friends and family, and above all his faith and love of Jesus Christ from which all of his other qualities followed.
At the end of each day dad would give thanks to the Lord for life and family. He prayed that God would bless the USA which he loved. He was always willing to fight for freedom and never give in to any enemy who wanted to take our blessed freedoms away. Vigilance was always his watchword. Dad expressed his sense of blessing for his "truly wonderful wife Joan" who he praised as an incredible mother as well. Dad wrote further: "Without this lady, I doubt I would have succeeded in life; Joan always stood by me and was always positive as I tried to succeed in life and in business."
Memorial Service for our dad, Samuel Potter Brown III
April 14, 1028 – October 28, 2021
Dad was a tough guy - national cross country champion, Navy pilot, boxer, an incredibly hard working tree nurseryman, avid tennis player, and he loved to fish. He also had another side as very emotional man who was a passionate artist who loved to read poetry. I remember way back in the 70's, we were all in the living room watching a movie called Brian's Song about the great black football player Dale Sayers and his friendship with teammate Brian Piccolo. Picollo was dying at the end and it was a real tear jerker – I'll always remember dad burst out in tears and ran out of the room. He was a very social guy and he depended on his friends literally every day. I am sure that he is having a truly wonderful adventure as he meets up with so many of his old friends in heaven.
One thing that few would know is how generous dad has been his whole life. He gave extravagantly to charity and to folks in need. He never talked about it; he just did it. Dad also had a massive reputation for honesty and integrity. He never hesitated to take the unpopular stand when he knew it was right, no matter what anyone else thought. I remember dad coming out to school board meetings and raising a fuss. He went right into Great Valley High School when he heard that the bathrooms were full of smokers and insisted on an outside smoking area. He disliked anything fake or phony, especially in people.
Growing up, pretty much everyone in Malvern knew dad and knew that he would be there if they needed help. He always stood up for the underdog, visiting the sick and dying, often when no one else would. He offered jobs at Sam Brown Nursery to troubled and fatherless kids from the Deveraux Foundation and other places, and he expected a lot out of them. Dad did not have much tolerance for laziness, but he was patient with these kids and coached them along, giving them a chance, even when they had a lot to learn and were not doing a good job. I have heard a number of his hires, high school kids mostly, say that they learned the meaning of hard work at Sam Brown Nursery. These guys told me that these lessons have served them well in all of life.
Dad was active in so many service groups that it's hard to remember them all. We always had someone living with us who needed a temporary shelter, as well as a steady stream of foreign exchange students. Some stayed for over a year with us and became part of the family. I don't know how he found time, by the was involved in Big Brothers, Indian Guides, Rotary Club, and other organizations. He tried to help out any time he saw a genuine need.
Dad loved his family, and somehow, no matter how busy, he and my mom made the time to visit us, travelling all over the country to see their grandkids who they adored. He loved his wife of 65 years and was working on being a better husband all the way up to his death. Dad had a quick temper– he knew it and was always working to be better. He was reading books on marriage and working to improve himself up until the day he went into the hospital.
So much else to say - he so often had a twinkle in his eye and possessed a silly sense of humour which we three boys all inherited (for better or worse). He was creative and a natural artist. At age 89 he decided to get some formal training and took up water color painting. He painted local Chester County scenes, hunting, fishing, portraits, American Indians, and all the things that he loved. He even won some awards at juried art shows.
Dad loved the ocean and the bay ever since spending summers at Tom's River, NJ as a young boy. He became a sailing and swimming instructor at a summer camp there; then a lifeguard at Ocean City. His heart was always on the water and he wanted to get back there every chance he could. He was a passionate fisherman and an expert at making his own lures. He loved to go out to Fortescue, on the Delaware Bay, stay in a rustic shack, get up at the crack of dawn to get breakfast with the locals. They loved my dad and that's why they told him their secrets - where the fish were running!
I think dad's passion for life was really motivated by his love of God's creation. As I think we all are, all he did was driven by love; love of others, of nature, of music, of worship, and of all aspects of God's world. He loved the beauty of the earth and always sought what was good and true. He loved excellence in sports and his favourite teams were always the ones that had individuals with not just excellence but integrity.
Dad read a lot and we enjoyed exchanging books. Dad was usually up at 6 and he spent some time in the Bible and almost always went out to breakfast where he had developed a family of great friends. He thrived on being with people and had great respect and loyalty to his friends. He loved to learn and spent part of each day reading & studying: politics, the Constitution, American history and the Founders, the Bible, and endless new topics that interested him. He was intensely patriotic and loved and defended our national heritage. Only two weeks ago, I sent dad a book of poetry. We both were voracious readers have exchanged books all our lives.
So much could be said, but I'll wrap up here…..Dad was a never-ending source of encouragement to me and my brothers. No matter what tough thing we were going through, and we have had our share, he was there for us. He always had a positive word of encouragement to build us up. His motto was "Hold the boat steady and Never give up". He lived this out his entire life in incredible ways. I never forgot the lesson. I think in everything I do I secretly have wanted to please my dad. Going forward, I will continue to do this for the rest of my life. His legacy will be a part of hundreds of people who he has influenced for good.
As his son, I honestly consider him the greatest man I know. I must admit, that over the years I have thought about this moment when I would need to stand up and say something about my father. I always knew it would be an impossible task and felt that it was useless to try. As I speak now, I still feel that way. No words can do justice to what this wonderful man has meant to me and my brothers who knew him best. I can only voice such a small part of who he was and what he meant to us.
We made sure to tell him how much we loved him over the past weeks in the intensive care unit. He had no fear of dying and made it clear that he was very ready to leave this life and be with his God who he loved deeply. If there was one thing that my father wanted for his friends it would be that they learned to trust God in everything and grow ever closer to Him.
Dad was a straight shooter: He may have been perfectly ready to go but he also made it clear that the food was terrible and he would be very happy to get back home to fishing again. Until the end he still had a passion for living, so it was very hard to see him leave us.
In Paul's letter from death row in a jail cell he wrote to the Philippians: "To live is Christ, to die is gain". Dad knew this at a deep level. Dad fought hard to the very end – he was always such a tough fighter and he lived this to his very last moments.
We wish dad Godspeed and will miss him more than words can tell.
--For my brothers Samuel and Mathew,
Wm. Francis Brown
October, 30, 2021
Sullivan House
Hersheys Mill, W. Chester, PA 10-29-2021
April 14, 1928 – October 28, 2021
Born April 14, 1928, Drexel Hill, PA to Samuel Potter Brown and Emma Smith Brown
School: Garrettford Grammer School
Upper Darby High School, class of 1946; Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, president of class of '46
A Capella choir – bass voice
Syracuse Univ. 1946-1950 (Cross country scholarship) – Phys Ed major
US Naval Air Force pilot: 1950-52
Sports/ Awards: PA State Cross Country State Champion – 1945
District I Champion/ Cross Country – 1945
Syracuse Univ. – Varsity cross country, Track, Boxing
Delaware County Athletic Hall of Fame – 2003
Married: 1955 – Joan Marie Heitzman
Children: Samuel Potter (W. Chester, PA), William Francis (Forest, VA), Mathew Heitzman (Lancaster, PA)
Sam is survived by his sister, Barbara McDonald (FL)
Grandchildren: 14; Great grandchildren: 4
Business: Sam Brown Tree Service – 1954
Sam Brown Nursery – 1962; Malvern, PA. Business flourished and sold to John Potter, 1982
Dad wrote the weekly column: "The Outdoor Gardener" for the Suburban and Wayne Times
Sam Brown Wholesale Nursery – 1982; sold 1990
Started a nursery in Chester Springs, PA - 1990; sold 1994
Moved to Hersheys Mill, W. Chester, PA - 1994 to present
Good News Fishing Charters – founded 1994
Hobbies:
Field trial hunting dogs (continued from boyhood with his father) – raised and trained champion spaniels and weimaraners
Avid tennis player until age 90
Fishing – Captain's license; charter captain and enjoyed since a young boy
Singing: bass in Univ. of Pennsylvania Glee Club; multiple church choirs
Artist – took up watercolour at age 85 and continued until the time of his hospitalization
Dad loved painting scenes from nature, hunting, portraits, Chester County landscapes, & wildlife
Dad loved being outside, running his dogs in the woods; loved the sea and the bay
Active in the local Republican Party; Local chairman; manning the polls; dad loved politics and was a student of American history and the Constitution
Avid reader, loved poetry; Bible. Dad was always reading and typically was into 3 books at any given time
Dad's primary values were honesty, integrity, hard work, courage amidst adversity, laughter, optimism in life, care for those less fortunate, charity, unfailing faithfulness to his friends and family, and above all his faith and love of Jesus Christ from which all of his other qualities followed.
At the end of each day dad would give thanks to the Lord for life and family. He prayed that God would bless the USA which he loved. He was always willing to fight for freedom and never give in to any enemy who wanted to take our blessed freedoms away. Vigilance was always his watchword. Dad expressed his sense of blessing for his "truly wonderful wife Joan" who he praised as an incredible mother as well. Dad wrote further: "Without this lady, I doubt I would have succeeded in life; Joan always stood by me and was always positive as I tried to succeed in life and in business."
Memorial Service for our dad, Samuel Potter Brown III
April 14, 1028 – October 28, 2021
Dad was a tough guy - national cross country champion, Navy pilot, boxer, an incredibly hard working tree nurseryman, avid tennis player, and he loved to fish. He also had another side as very emotional man who was a passionate artist who loved to read poetry. I remember way back in the 70's, we were all in the living room watching a movie called Brian's Song about the great black football player Dale Sayers and his friendship with teammate Brian Piccolo. Picollo was dying at the end and it was a real tear jerker – I'll always remember dad burst out in tears and ran out of the room. He was a very social guy and he depended on his friends literally every day. I am sure that he is having a truly wonderful adventure as he meets up with so many of his old friends in heaven.
One thing that few would know is how generous dad has been his whole life. He gave extravagantly to charity and to folks in need. He never talked about it; he just did it. Dad also had a massive reputation for honesty and integrity. He never hesitated to take the unpopular stand when he knew it was right, no matter what anyone else thought. I remember dad coming out to school board meetings and raising a fuss. He went right into Great Valley High School when he heard that the bathrooms were full of smokers and insisted on an outside smoking area. He disliked anything fake or phony, especially in people.
Growing up, pretty much everyone in Malvern knew dad and knew that he would be there if they needed help. He always stood up for the underdog, visiting the sick and dying, often when no one else would. He offered jobs at Sam Brown Nursery to troubled and fatherless kids from the Deveraux Foundation and other places, and he expected a lot out of them. Dad did not have much tolerance for laziness, but he was patient with these kids and coached them along, giving them a chance, even when they had a lot to learn and were not doing a good job. I have heard a number of his hires, high school kids mostly, say that they learned the meaning of hard work at Sam Brown Nursery. These guys told me that these lessons have served them well in all of life.
Dad was active in so many service groups that it's hard to remember them all. We always had someone living with us who needed a temporary shelter, as well as a steady stream of foreign exchange students. Some stayed for over a year with us and became part of the family. I don't know how he found time, by the was involved in Big Brothers, Indian Guides, Rotary Club, and other organizations. He tried to help out any time he saw a genuine need.
Dad loved his family, and somehow, no matter how busy, he and my mom made the time to visit us, travelling all over the country to see their grandkids who they adored. He loved his wife of 65 years and was working on being a better husband all the way up to his death. Dad had a quick temper– he knew it and was always working to be better. He was reading books on marriage and working to improve himself up until the day he went into the hospital.
So much else to say - he so often had a twinkle in his eye and possessed a silly sense of humour which we three boys all inherited (for better or worse). He was creative and a natural artist. At age 89 he decided to get some formal training and took up water color painting. He painted local Chester County scenes, hunting, fishing, portraits, American Indians, and all the things that he loved. He even won some awards at juried art shows.
Dad loved the ocean and the bay ever since spending summers at Tom's River, NJ as a young boy. He became a sailing and swimming instructor at a summer camp there; then a lifeguard at Ocean City. His heart was always on the water and he wanted to get back there every chance he could. He was a passionate fisherman and an expert at making his own lures. He loved to go out to Fortescue, on the Delaware Bay, stay in a rustic shack, get up at the crack of dawn to get breakfast with the locals. They loved my dad and that's why they told him their secrets - where the fish were running!
I think dad's passion for life was really motivated by his love of God's creation. As I think we all are, all he did was driven by love; love of others, of nature, of music, of worship, and of all aspects of God's world. He loved the beauty of the earth and always sought what was good and true. He loved excellence in sports and his favourite teams were always the ones that had individuals with not just excellence but integrity.
Dad read a lot and we enjoyed exchanging books. Dad was usually up at 6 and he spent some time in the Bible and almost always went out to breakfast where he had developed a family of great friends. He thrived on being with people and had great respect and loyalty to his friends. He loved to learn and spent part of each day reading & studying: politics, the Constitution, American history and the Founders, the Bible, and endless new topics that interested him. He was intensely patriotic and loved and defended our national heritage. Only two weeks ago, I sent dad a book of poetry. We both were voracious readers have exchanged books all our lives.
So much could be said, but I'll wrap up here…..Dad was a never-ending source of encouragement to me and my brothers. No matter what tough thing we were going through, and we have had our share, he was there for us. He always had a positive word of encouragement to build us up. His motto was "Hold the boat steady and Never give up". He lived this out his entire life in incredible ways. I never forgot the lesson. I think in everything I do I secretly have wanted to please my dad. Going forward, I will continue to do this for the rest of my life. His legacy will be a part of hundreds of people who he has influenced for good.
As his son, I honestly consider him the greatest man I know. I must admit, that over the years I have thought about this moment when I would need to stand up and say something about my father. I always knew it would be an impossible task and felt that it was useless to try. As I speak now, I still feel that way. No words can do justice to what this wonderful man has meant to me and my brothers who knew him best. I can only voice such a small part of who he was and what he meant to us.
We made sure to tell him how much we loved him over the past weeks in the intensive care unit. He had no fear of dying and made it clear that he was very ready to leave this life and be with his God who he loved deeply. If there was one thing that my father wanted for his friends it would be that they learned to trust God in everything and grow ever closer to Him.
Dad was a straight shooter: He may have been perfectly ready to go but he also made it clear that the food was terrible and he would be very happy to get back home to fishing again. Until the end he still had a passion for living, so it was very hard to see him leave us.
In Paul's letter from death row in a jail cell he wrote to the Philippians: "To live is Christ, to die is gain". Dad knew this at a deep level. Dad fought hard to the very end – he was always such a tough fighter and he lived this to his very last moments.
We wish dad Godspeed and will miss him more than words can tell.
--For my brothers Samuel and Mathew,
Wm. Francis Brown
October, 30, 2021
Sullivan House
Hersheys Mill, W. Chester, PA 10-29-2021
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
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