Morgan Scott Brown

Born: January 22, 1941
Died: June 19, 2005

Morgan S. Brown was born in Mt. Kisko, New York, son of Leland Scott and Mary Murray Mahony Brown. He was a 1958 graduate of Deerfield Academy.

At Yale, Morgan, a Russian Studies major, was a member of Timothy Dwight College where he was sports editor of Town Crier and on the college's football, soccer and hockey teams. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta, "Mogo was an enthusiastic Phi Gammer, toga parties and all," recalls classmate Mike Carr. His major hobby was baseball and he was an absolute statistics and records fanatic. In later years he followed not only major league players and teams but his local minor league clubs as well.

Morgan was manager of the Freshman lacrosse team in 1961 and of the Varsity team during the 1962 season, winning his Major "Y".

After graduation, Morgan joined the Navy Officer Candidate program. He served for 4 years in cryptology as a "spook." He never spoke much about it, of course, but he served in Japan and at Fort Meade, Maryland. After release from active duty, he continued his service in the reserves until his retirement as a Lieutenant Commander after 20 years. Because of the nature of his Navy service, the government prohibited him from visiting Russia until after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Following active duty, he obtained a graduate degree (M.A.L.S.) from Wesleyan University and then embarked on a 35- year career teaching mathematics in independent schools across the country.

Morgan taught math at Choate Rosemary Hall from 1968 to 1974; Lick-Wilmerding High School (San Francisco); Moorestown (N.J.) Friends School; Mary Institute (St. Louis); Westlake School (Los Angeles); Kentucky Country Day School (Louisville); St. Francis High School (Louisville),and most recently Fryeburg Academy, Fryeburg, Maine from 1993 until his retirement due to illness in 2004. He often served as chairman of his schools' mathematics departments and as a college counselor in addition to his teaching duties.

His students at Fryeburg called him a "gentlemen of the old school", a familiar sight on campus with his distinctive red Scots tam o'shanter, his bow ties and his dogs.

Morgan's parents were summer residents of Chappaquidick on Martha's Vineyard. He first visited as a child in 1948 and returned nearly every summer of his life. He was a long-time member of the Edgartown Yacht Club and served as sailing master for the junior sailing program for many summers. He raised funds to start the Optimist pram fleet and was a member of the race committee.

John Gerlach recalls that Morgan hosted him, Mike Carr and Dan Kelly at the family cottage, Gull's Way, on the Vineyard for a final party during the week after exams and before graduation in June 1962. Further details have not been revealed.

In a tribute, the Vineyard Gazette wrote that he "was known for his kindness and generosity of spirit, his love of young people and teaching mathematics and for his deep love and devotion to his family."

Morgan is survived by his wife of 27 years, Suzanne R. Brown, children John R. Bradbury, Jr., of Greenwich, and Sarah B. Robbins of Louisville, and his sister Janet Brown Jussel of Pound Ridge, New York. He leaves 4 grandchildren: Henry Wyatt Robbins and William Chandler Robbins of Louisville and John R. Bradbury, III and Lily Smith Bradbury of Greenwich.

Morgan and Suzanne maintained their home in Louisville since 1984 even after he assumed his teaching position at Fryeburg Academy. He kept in close contact with his classmates over the years, and he and Suzanne graciously hosted a "50th birthday party celebration" in Louisville which Mike Carr, John Gerlach, and Dan Kelly attended. He was, Suzanne said, "a dear man, we were blessed with a wonderful marriage together."

Morgan died June 19, 2005, in Louisville following a courageous 2½ year battle with prostate cancer. Memorial services were held for him at St. Francis on the Fields Episcopal Church in Louisville, St. Matthews Episcopal Church in Bedford Village, New York and St. Andrews in Edgartown. His childhood friend and Yale roommate John Gerlach was among the speakers at the services in Bedford. He was buried at St. Matthews in Bedford.

The family requested that contributions be made in his memory to Fryeburg Academy.

(Mike Carr, Scott Cook, John Gerlach, and Paul Johnson contributed to to this obituary essay.)