William F. (Bill) Brown Jr., 91, a member of the Communicators Hall of Fame and a Director of the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) for over a half-century, passed away Saturday night at Rochester (N.Y.) General Hospital, near his hometown of Batavia, N.Y.
Brown first became a member of the USHWA Board in 1963, representing the Western New York Chapter, and three years later he was elected National Secretary of harness racing’s major media organization – a position which he would hold until 2002, after which he was Executive Secretary of the Association for 11 years. Brown even retained his Secretary duties while he served as National President of USHWA in 1978-79, as his replacement was ill – double duty, which Brown handled with typical skill, aplomb, and dry wit.
Brown was elected to the Communicators Hall in 1990. He was quite familiar with the sport’s Hall of Fame and Museum, serving as an USHWAn on the Hall of Fame Screening Committee for a quarter-century, the last seven years as Chairman of the Committee.
Brown was owner and president of WBTA Radio in Batavia, a family-operated station with a strong focus on community affairs, for many years, and was until his death a regular contributor to the Buffalo News and the Batavia Daily News. Brown was also an expert on his native Genesee County in western New York, and was the author of books and articles on the notable people and events of the area.
Visitation is being held on Wednesday, December 3 from 3 p.m. through 7 p.m. at the H.E. Turner & Co. Funeral Home, 403 East Main St., Batavia. His Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday (December 4) at 9:30 a.m. at Resurrection Parish, St. Joseph Church, 303 East Main St., Batavia. Interment will follow at the St. Joseph’s Cemetery.
The Knights of Columbus will hold a prayer service on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Notre Dame High School, 73 Union St. or the Jerome Foundation, 16 Bank St., both Batavia, NY 14020.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Bill Brown.
(USHWA)