Brown, William Clive

William Clive Brown, Sept 25, 1930 – July 21 2022, at age 91.  Beloved husband of Rose Voncielle Brown (nee Steele), dear father of Susan L. Brown, Nancy E. Fischer (nee Brown), and William D. Brown.  He leaves behind 5 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren-ages 1 month to 16 years, 4 nieces and 5 nephews, and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.  At the time of his death, he and Rose (Voni) had been married 68 years.

He was born to Harry Dawson Brown and Mary Elizabeth Brown (nee Fricke). His mother died three weeks later. His full older sister Kathleen Greenwood (nee Brown) predeceased him in 1998.  After the death of his mother in 1930, he and Kathleen were placed in a children’s home, as his father could not care for them.

He was sent to the hospital with rickets when he was about 1 year old, but the hospital misplaced or lost his records and he was labeled an orphan. At that time, he was taken home from the hospital by Bernice and David Dick, who fostered and raised him with another foster child, Ruth Kissel, and their own natural daughter, Grace N. Dick (married name Wells) to adulthood.

Soon after he was taken from the hospital, his father remarried, retrieved his children from the home, but found his son had been lost.  His father and new wife had 8 children (9 including Kathleen) and William was known as the “lost brother” in that family.

William served in the US Army Paratroopers from 1951 to 1953 during the Korean War. He married on Jan 9, 1954 in St. Louis, MO. He worked as a US mail carrier, then 28 years as an insurance agent, then 6 years as a mail carrier again. He attended college for a Business Associate degree but did not complete the cirriulum.

In the 1970’s he started looking for his “other” family, and found them when he read of his stepmother’s death in the paper in the mid 1990’s.  He was reunited with them in 1997, and no one needed any ID, his four brothers have the exact same nose (his four sisters did not, thankfully).

William was very active and one of the most prominent members at Watson Terrace Christian Church where he served over 60 years at various times as council President, Head Deacon, Treasurer, Secretary, and sang in the choir.  He was active in every aspect of church life, and followed the Golden Rule religiously. He donated to several charitable and worthy causes.

In his retirement, he traveled great deal, going to California and Texas to see his brother- and sister-in-law, and took his grandchildren on several vacations out West and to Florida.  William was an avid newshound and read the paper cover to cover every day.

He was a true gentleman and will sorely be missed.  Memorials to Watson Terrace Christian Church, 4205 Watson Rd, St. Louis, MO  63109, in his name.