Wallace Brown
1933-2022
What follows is what our Dad, Wallace Brown, wrote, followed
by the words of his children.
Wallace Brown, son of Dr. Alexander (“Sandy”) Brown
and Mary (“Maimie”) née Wallace, was born in
Edmonton, Alberta, and moved to Scotland in 1938 when his parents
returned after many years as immigrants to Canada. He was brought up
in Yorkshire where his father was vice-principal of Huddersfield Tech,
then principal of Halifax Tech. His early education was at King James
School, Almondbury, and Heath Grammar School, Halifax, followed by an
enjoyable National Service as an Army Sergeant in Hong Kong, 1952-54.
He then attended Saint Edmund Hall, Oxford (BA, MA), University of
Nebraska (MA), University of California, Berkeley
(PhD).
After teaching stints at the University of Alberta and Brown
University, he joined the History Department at the University of New
Brunswick in 1967, where he spent the rest of his career. He
specialized in American colonial and early national history. He was a
Fellow of the Royal Historical Association. He prided himself in being
a hard-working journeyman historian, who published widely at both the
scholarly and popular level. He was a successful print, TV and radio
journalist including five years as film critic for CBC Radio,
Fredericton. He was past President of the Fredericton
Society of Saint Andrew, founding member of the Fredericton Whisky
Tasting Society, and on the executive of the Fredericton Film Coop.
For several years he was the Atlantic Provinces’ agent for
various alcoholic products including Absolut Vodka and Glenmorangie
Single Malt. He liked mystery novels, fly fishing, beer, hiking,
curries, wine, jazz, theatre, pubs, alcohol, the films of Jean Renoir
(for whom he once auditioned), the poems of Thomas Hardy, and the
company of women. In his later years, he had some success acting in
commercial movies, something he believed almost anyone could do.
Although brought up in Yorkshire and living most of his adult life in
North America, he was a Scot through and through. He did not believe
in the afterlife, but will be pleasantly surprised if he’s
wrong.
The central fact of his life was his life-long love
affair with his wife, Paula and the family it
produced.
Now for some words from his children (Catherine, Alexander,
Paul and Emily) that speak to the character of our loveable dad. He
loved good food, good conversation, and happy hours at the pub or
anywhere for that matter, but most of all he loved his family,
unconditionally. He had an incredible sense of humour and
loved to tell a story, both written and out loud. He strove to be kind
and well mannered, did not suffer fools and never judged a book by its
cover. He treated everyone the same no matter their background. In
July 2020, his beloved wife, our mom, Paula, died, which left him
incredibly lonely. He was extremely grateful for his family and
friends who tried to fill the void with as many visits as COVID
protocols would allow, but nothing, of course, could replace the
company of his dear Paula. Since her death, he often reflected on his
great love affair with our mom and noted that it was not until he met
her (at that fateful Christmas party in 1968) that he truly started to
live and know happiness. We like to think they have been reunited in
death. His legacy will live on in his children who will strive, as he
and mom did, to be kind and accepting and to leave this world a better
place. Dad and mom will forever be in our hearts.
RIP. P.S. If there is an afterlife, could you please send us a sign.
P.P.S. Thank you to the nurses and doctors at the Oromocto
Hospital and Hospice House for the amazing care you gave our dad and
the support you gave to his family.
www.oromoctofh.com
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Wallace Brown 19332022..
Death notice for the town of: Fredericton, Province: Nouveau-Brunswick