In Memory
Ralph C. Brown
Aug. 29, 1924 - Jan. 11, 2010
SOUTH BEND - Ralph C. Brown, 85, passed away on January 11, 2010, in the Sanctuary of Holy Cross after a long illness. He was born August 29, 1924, in Huntington, IN, to the late Cleo Chester and Nellie Mae (Coddington) Brown.
On October 24, 1947, he married Mary Margaret Coty. He is survived by his wife, Mary; five children, Terrence (Mary Margaret) of Bremerton, WA, Gregory of South Bend, Christopher (Debbie) of Hollister, CA, Eric (Tami) of South Bend and Lisa Marie Solomon (Randy) of San Jose, CA; eight grandchildren, Justine, Jacob, Nicholas, Samuel, Patrick, Danielle, Zachary and Joshua; and five great-grandchildren, Lenny, Madeline, Jessica, Jacob and Nathan.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Carol (Sendo); his brother, Robert; and his grandson, Matthew Brown. Ralph graduated in the first graduating class at John Adams High School in 1942. From there he attended Indiana University (Sigma Pi) until May 1943, at which time he enlisted in the Navy. He proudly served on the U.S.S. Yorktown (The Fighting Lady) and was honorably discharged in February 1946. He received a number of medals and commendations while serving his country.
After his marriage to Mary, he worked for Uniroyal, The Studebaker Corp., and The South Bend Tribune, before spending the majority of his career in the real estate business. He continued working part-time up until August 2008, when he broke his hip, which was the beginning of his extended illness. He loved his family and enjoyed telling them and others stories of his many life experiences. He also enjoyed spending time on his computer. He was a big Notre Dame and Cubs fan. He was a member of Little Flower Catholic Church.
He will be missed and remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and a good friend to many. Ralph's family would like to thank all the wonderful people at St. Joseph's Med. Center, Our Lady of Peace Hospital, and the Sanctuary at Holy Cross, who provided such loving care for him during his illness, as well as all the support and care he received from his family and friends.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated for Ralph at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 14, 2010, in Little Flower Catholic Church, Rev. Cornelus J. Ryan, CSC, pastor, officiating, and Rev. Donald Guertin, CSC, con-celebrating. Friends may call one hour prior to Mass in the church. His ashes will be interred later at Highland Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Little Flower Catholic Church, 54191 N. Ironwood Drive, South Bend, IN 46635. To send condolences to the family, log on to www.McGannHay.com.
Published in South Bend Tribune on July 11, 2010.
03/01/2021 DEC
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