BROWN, JOHN G. McD. - WOLFVILLE - Well known Wolfville resident passes away - John George McDonald Brown, 84, of Wolfville, N.S., passed away on August 6, 2013 at the Valley Regional Hospital, Kentville. He was born on April 7, 1929 in Aberdeen, Scotland, son of the late Frederick and Elizabeth (McDonald) Brown. John graduated from Aberdeen Academy and became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland. John married the late Bertha (Bette) Mitchell on August 7, 1953 in Aberdeen, Scotland and they soon afterwards immigrated to Montreal. There John held senior positions with national and international financial institutions. In 1966 John and his family moved to Saint John, N.B. where John became Vice President of Rothesay Paper Corporation. He and his family later moved to Wolfville, N.S. in 1972. John was the founder and Chairman of Command Services Atlantic and was also the Chairman of Data Management Systems Limited. John was a director of several Maritime and national companies including Laurier Life Assurance Company and Imperial Life Insurance Company. He was active in local and community affairs including being past Director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and past President of the Saint John Board of Trade. John was a founding member and a life member of the Maritime Chapter of the Financial Executives Institute. For several years he was a member of the National Board of the Enterprise Development Board in Ottawa. John was a past member of the Halifax Club and the Halifax Executives, past Director of Landmark East School and was a part-time lecturer at Acadia University. John was part of a group instrumental in the building of the Kings Presbyterian Church in New Minas, N.S. He was first appointed as an elder in the Montreal West Presbyterian Church in the late 1950’s and was also an elder in the Kings Presbyterian Church. John was an active Rotarian since he joined the club in Saint John, N.B in 1968. He served as President and Treasurer of the Rotary Club of Wolfville. In 1991-1992 he became the District Governor for District 7820 and he served on several national and international committees. John was made a Paul Harris Fellow in 1989. John was heavily involved in the Masonic Organization including being a Shriner and a 32° Mason. He was a life member of the Royal Victoria Lodge in Montreal, Past Master of Scotia Lodge 28 in Nova Scotia and past Director of the Royal Order of Jesters in New Brunswick and Maine. John played a role in politics and was a strong supporter of the Liberal Party. He was past President and Treasurer of the provincial riding of Kings South and past President of the federal riding of Annapolis Valley Hants. He was also past Vice-President of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party. John, an avid golfer all his life, started as a caddie in 1938 at the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club. Eventually he became an overseas member and for many years visited on an annual basis. John was a past Director and Treasurer of the Maritime Seniors Golf Association Club and was a member of the KenWo Golf and Country Club. John was a supporter of the Arts and was a past Director and Treasurer of the Theatre Arts Festival International. He was more recently a member of the New Horizon Band of Acadia University and of the Kings County Concert Band. In former years John enjoyed performing in local theatre musicals. John Brown was preceded in death by his parents Frederick and Elizabeth Brown; his late wife Bertha Brown; and his son John F.S. Brown. He is survived by his wife Thelma Brown (former Thelma MacDonald); two sisters, Evelyn Craggs and Freda Bremner of Ottawa, Ontario; three daughters, Fiona Ryan (Lindsay Ryan), Fall River, N.S.; Catriona Brown- Fletcher, Coldbrook, N.S.; Lisa Quigley (Stephen Quigley), Conquerall Mills, N.S.; step-children, Jayne Simms (Dainius Dalmotas), Aylmer, P.Q.; Sandra Simms (Randall Bishop), Greenwich, N.S.; David Simms, Rothesay, N.B.; Bruce Simms (Julie Ewing), Saskatoon, S.K.; grandchildren, Meighan, Callum, Logan, Emma, Haileigh and Mathew; step-grandchildren, Alexandra, Elizabeth, Alasdair, Victoria, Rory, Ewan and Lachlann; and several nieces and nephews.
The body has been cremated. There will be no visitation, by request. A memorial service will be held on Monday, August 12, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. at the Kings Presbyterian Church in New Minas, N.S. A reception will follow the service where the family will greet friends and family. A private burial of ashes will be held at a later date at the Willowbank Cemetery, Wolfville. Family flowers only, by request. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the John F.S. Brown Memorial Scholarship Fund, Kings-Edgehill or to the Palliative Care Unit at the Valley Regional Hospital. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the White Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kentville. On-line inquiries may be directed to www.whitefamilyfuneralhome.com.