Fred Eugene Brown

AUGUSTA – Fred Eugene Brown was born on Jan. 16, 1942, in Rumford, Maine. He passed away on June 16, 2025.

He was raised on the Back Kingdom Road in Mexico, Maine, and graduated from Mexico High School with high honors. While attending the University of Maine at Orono, he worked summers in the paper mill alongside his father and his brother Ezra. It was at the University of Maine, where he met some of his life-long best friends, his Beta Brothers and his wife of over 60 years, Sandy.

Fred and Sandy raised their four kids, Bonnie, Ted (Fred II), Keith and Aaron in Manchester, Maine. He became a math teacher and taught at Hall-Dale and Cony High School for 34 years. He also taught math and statistics at the University of Maine at Augusta for over 40 years. After he retired, he taught some “Senior College” classes, and one was all about puzzles. He loved puzzles, number puzzles, word puzzles, crossword puzzles. One of the highlights of his life was when he got to do The Puzzler with Will Shortz on NPR.

Fred loved nature and the outdoors. He took his family camping all around Maine, New Hampshire and Canada with the old green tent and the Santa tablecloth. He loved canoeing, sailing, skiing, hiking, biking and swimming. He was also a voracious reader. In 1984 he and Sandy bought a camp on Cobbossee Lake. They spent the next 40 summers watching the loons, and enjoying a beer (or two) with friends and family.

Fred and Sandy loved to travel together. They made several trips over the years to various parts of Canada, and they took bike tour trips across Europe. He loved travel, but also loved being home. One of his favorite things to do was to play his left-handed guitar and sing folk songs. He also just loved to just sit and have a beer and some peanuts in the shell with his wife Sandy in front of the woodstove. A life-long Mainer, he would always say, “Maine is a big small town.”

Known as Brownie by his Beta Brothers, Uncle Gene by his nieces and nephews, Grampa by his grandchildren, Dad by his kids, and Mr. Brown by the hundreds of students he taught over the years, his great voice, sense of humor and presence will truly be missed.

Fred was predeceased by his parents Ezra and Edna Brown of Mexico, Maine, and his sister, Peggy and her husband Jim Miller of Brunswick.

Fred is survived by his wife Sandy; his daughter Bonnie and her husband Evan Gilman, his son Ted and his wife Karol Brown, his son Keith and his wife Hoa Hoang, his son Aaron and his wife Emily Brown; his brother Ezra Staples Brown and his wife Marsha; his grandchildren Bethanie, Brandon, Lauren, Ellie, Emilia and Ezra; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

A private family celebration of his life will take place later this summer.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the University of Maine at Augusta’s School of Nursing program by mailing a check to:

UMA Advancement Office

46 University Dr.

Augusta, ME 04330

You may also email [email protected] for assistance or online giving options