ST. MARY PARISH, LA. 

Obituary for: BROWN, RICHARD KENDALL 

Submitted by: Louis Lavedan. 

Source: Franklin Banner-Tribune, Morgan City Daily Review; St. Mary Parish, La. 

Published 29 Dec 2011

======================================================================= 
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgenweb.org/volunteers/copyright.shtml
======================================================================= 
NOTE: If a Photo is available for an obituary record, a reference note will be
included with the record. 
======================================================================= 

BROWN, RICHARD KENDALL 

Richard Kendall Brown, 60, passed away Dec. 24, 2011, after a two year battle 
with multiple cancers. He was born May 24, 1951, in Lawrence, Kan., while his 
father was attending the University of Kansas.

He was preceded in death by his father, U.S.A.F. Capt. Gordon Richard Brown of 
Morgan City, who was one of the first American fatalities in Vietnam.

He is survived by his mother Joan, and his stepfather Col. (Ret.) Ronald E. 
“Gene” Gardner of Seffner, Fla.

Being in a military family, Richard lived in many states but spent most of his 
life in California, Michigan and Florida. He was in junior varsity golf while 
attending high school in Rudyard, Mich., where he also enjoyed snow skiing. He 
graduated from Riverside Polytechnic High School, Riverside, Calif., in 1970 
and he received his Associate in Arts degree in 1972 from Riverside City 
College. During this time, some of his college art class paintings were chosen 
to be displayed in the local library, and he became a certified scuba diver.

During his freshman year, while attending Long Beach State, Richard lettered in 
eight-man crew as coxswain. He was employed by Riverside County Hospital as an 
operating room sterile supply technician working nights while attending college 
day classes. He graduated in 1985 from California State Polytechnic University 
at Pomona with a B.S. degree in business administration with a major in 
computer information systems. After moving to Florida, Richard worked in the 
management information systems division of the Hillsborough County Property 
Appraiser’s Office, where he served for 22 years.

All of his life, Richard had a keen interest in military history and aircraft. 
He enjoyed the hobby of building models of military aircraft and won several 
awards for his talent, including a national award for a B-52H model in 1968. He 
belonged to a Riverside modeling club, participated in contests and served as a 
judge in many regional modeler contests. He had his airplane and rocket models 
on display in a local hobby shop, and he contributed to articles in a modeler 
magazine.

Additionally, in 1998 he authored a book titled “SEALION” on submarines of the 
United States Navy, listed by hull number, which was specially prepared for and 
published by Downtown Model Company of Riverside, Calif. He was also an avid 
fan of ice hockey and enjoyed going to the Tampa Bay Lightning games with his 
dad. His favorite player was Brad Richards.

Richard will be greatly missed by his loving family and friends. Plans for a 
private family memorial service and burial are still pending. In lieu of 
flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Richard to the H. Lee Moffitt 
Cancer & Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612.

===================