Tom Brown

A family man through and through, Tom Brown leaves his loved ones with a rich legacy of being a strong role model and an exceptionally committed person to those he loved. He was a passionate person who lived his life fully by extending himself selflessly to others. He thrived on making others feel special in his presence. His greatest reward is the beloved family he leaves behind.

So much of our nation’s history was characterized by the year 1941. It was the year that marked the fateful attack by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor. Before these unprecedented times, Thomas Brown was born on July 4, 1941. His birth brought great joy and promise during an era of great change.

Tom felt lucky to be born in the USA and even luckier to be born to wonderful parents, Howard and Dorothy Brown. The Browns lived in a small house across the street from St. Joseph Catholic Church. While money was not plentiful, Tom and his brother, Jim, wanted for nothing. Tom has always been extremely thankful for his Catholic upbringing. The "Brown Brothers" were altar boys. While Tom and Jim did enjoy a little bit of mischief from time to time, they were also known for being good kids with strong moral principles and a value for hard work. The Brown brothers were best friends growing up, both attended Northwestern and were in the same fraternity, and remained very close throughout their adult years.

Tom was a tremendous athlete. Tom played football, basketball, baseball, and track. He was the state champion in the shot put. Tom accepted a scholarship to play football at Notre Dame. However, shortly before Christmas of his senior year, Notre Dame fired its coach. While he likely would have been offered a scholarship when a new coach was hired, Tom and his dad visited Northwestern and met with their coach, Ara Parseghian. A scholarship offer was extended. While Tom wanted to wait on Notre Dame, a decision was made (mostly by his dad) to accept the offer in hand. Unfortunately, Tom suffered a back injury while at Northwestern and ultimately lost his scholarship. But Tom returned home to work in the paper mill, saved his money and secured a loan, and then returned to Northwestern and graduated in 1964.

Tom married his high school sweetheart, Bernanne, on December 26, 1964, and they celebrated 60 glorious years together. They spent their early years in Chicago and returned to Kalamazoo in 1969 to be near their families. Tom started his career in the insurance business before embarking on a long career as a financial advisor. Tom very much enjoyed his job and took great pride in doing what was best for his clients, many of whom were with him for decades and became close friends.

Tom was exceptionally proud of his children, Steve and Debbie, and his grandchildren, Evans, John, Brice, Shane, Bella, and Alex. Tom taught all of them many things, most notably the value of always being grateful for what you had. His philosophy was that success and happiness in life was 10% of what happens and 90% how you react to it.

To say the least, Tom was a very enthusiastic Notre Dame football fan. One of his great thrills in life was attending his grandson's (Evans) graduation from Notre Dame. Graduation was held in the football stadium, which he entered through the Ara Parseghian gate. Tom wasn’t able to make it to the next Notre Dame graduation (his grandson John Thomas), but he watched it online and then played it back over and over again to listen for his name and imagine himself graduating from Notre Dame had life worked out a little differently.

Jack Moss, a sportswriter, used to write a daily "This and That" column in the Kalamazoo Gazette years ago. When Tom's dad passed away, Jack wrote the following - "Howard Brown, who died here Saturday, was one of a kind. You never had to wonder where he stood on any issue, whether it involved sports, politics, or any other matter of the day. He was always happiest talking sports, a subject on which he was well-versed. Although he loved to act cantankerous, especially in the heat of the debate, Howard Brown was an old softy at heart. He loved his family, his church, and Notre Dame football. We never met a person quite like Howard Brown. But he was one of the finest individuals we've ever known and had the priorities in his life very much in order."

Like Father, like Son.

Humble, dedicated, smart, and funny. A wonderful man to know and to love, Tom always wanted the best for his family. May the warm memories of their years together remain in their hearts forevermore.

Tom Brown, age 84 of Kalamazoo, died on December 6, 2025. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Jim. Surviving are his wife Bernanne Brown; children: Steve Brown and Debbie Maruiz; and grandchildren: Evans, John, Brice, Shane, Bella, and Alex. Please join us at a Life Story Service on Mon (DEC 15) at 4 PM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900. A reception will follow in the Life Story Center where food, drinks, and stories can be shared. Celebrate Tom's life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on his dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com.