Nov. 18, 2008

From Pittsburghlive.com

Richard T. Brown
New Kensington

Richard T. "Dick" Brown, 77, of New Kensington, passed away Sunday, Nov. 16, 2008, surrounded by his family in Family Hospice in Bellevue. He was born May 10, 1931, to the late James O. and Susan Bedell Brown in Lower Burrell. Preceding him in death was his brother, James. Dick graduated from New Kensington High School, Wayne State University, Detroit, and received post-graduate degrees from Duquesne University. He served the New Kensington-Arnold School District for 43 years as a teacher, coach, athletic director and central office administrator. Prior to that, he was an assistant football coach at Wayne State University and served two years in the Army in France. Dick was an exceptional athlete, playing football, basketball, and baseball and was part of the Ken High "Red Raiders Power House" athletic teams of the late 1940's. During the summer, he played for the Kinloch Hornets, a local semi-pro baseball team. Wayne State University awarded him a football scholarship and Dick was the team quarterback, defensive back, kicker and served as team captain in his senior year. Wayne State played against some nationwide teams such as Temple, Arizona, Louisville and twice won contests against Johnny Unitas of Louisville with Dick at quarterback. Dick's touchdown passing record stood for 41 years at Wayne State. During his senior year at Wayne, he played basketball, in which he lettered. He was inducted into Wayne State All Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. After a two year stint in the Army playing basketball and football, he returned to Wayne to coach. Passing up a coaching opportunity at Arizona State, Dick came back to New Kensington to be with his mentor, Dom Fletcher, and coach "Ken High" football. The merger of the New Kensington-Arnold School District gave him the opportunity to become the first athletic director, federal funds co-coordinator and central office administrator. He was a member of Puckety United Presbyterian Church. Over the years, Dick liked to contribute to the community as a volunteer Little League coach, on the YMCA board, several terms as elder in the Presbyterian Church, in federal funded summer recreational educational programs, "The Soul Patrol", Citizens General Hospital Enterprise Board, and Meals on Wheels. He is survived by his loving wife, Janice Robinson Brown; children, Timothy (Monique) Brown, of Alpharetta, Ga., Sharon (David) Wolfe, of Delray Beach, Fla., and David (Jennifer) Brown, of Glen Allen, Va.; grandchildren, Zachary, Joshua, Victoria, Margot, Ramsey and Jennings Brown, and Abbie and Austin Wolfe; sister, Mona Maier, of Lower Burrell; two nieces, Linda Uzelac and Cindee Moser; and two nephews, Thomas and Robert Maier. Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the RUSIEWICZ OF LOWER BURRELL FUNERAL HOME, 3124 Leechburg Road at Alder Street, Lower Burrell. Funeral Services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday in Puckety United Presbyterian Church, Lower Burrell, by his nephew, the Rev. Erik Kerr. Burial will be private. www.RusiewiczFH.com. Memorials may be made to Meals on Wheels, Puckety Church Road, Lower Burrell, PA 15068.