GREENFIELD — Although he was laid to rest last week, Herb Brown’s legacy will long live in Hancock County, according to those who knew him best.
The longtime county resident and community activist, who died Feb. 5, spent his 89 years creating a life to be remembered.
Brown spent nearly his last five years happily married to his second wife, Jo Ann Agee of Greenfield.
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He was connected most of his life to his first wife, Judy Brown, who died in 2013. The two built a legacy of philanthropy and community enhancement throughout their 58 years of marriage.
“The loss of two such community leaders is hard. They were just very wonderful people,” said Renee Rupley, marketing director at Greenfield Banking Co., who took the position over from Judy Brown when she retired in 1998.
Rupley enjoyed working under Judy Brown the year before she retired, getting to know the couple who referred to one another as best friends.
“They were unique in their approach to life. They were just very good, community-oriented people,” she said.
Mary Gibble, president of the Hancock County Community Foundation, echoes that sentiment.
In 2006, the Browns donated a 20-acre parcel of wooded land near their home to the Greenfield Parks Department, which would become known as the Thornwood Nature Preserve. They donated another 20-acre parcel in 2009.
The preserve is in the 1500 block of Morristown Pike south of Greenfield.
With they first donated the tract of land, the Browns established an endowment fund through the community foundation to provide annual income to care for the property, although not right away.
While he was physically able, Herb Brown personally tended to the woods by keeping the paths maintained and invasive species at bay, especially the thornwoods, Gibble recalled.
“He enjoyed having his dog, Blue, join him,” she said.
This spring, the Thornwood Preserve Endowment Fund the Browns established will grant $5,700 to the parks department to maintain the property and add amenities to the preserve.
“Thanks to Herb and Judy’s generosity, the endowment has provided over $20,000 to the park and will continue to do so in perpetuity,” Gibble said.
Andrea Mallory, a seven-year board member for the Greenfield Parks and Recreation Department, said not just the parks but all of Hancock County is a better place thanks to the Browns.
“We are so grateful for people like Herb and Judy Brown,” Mallory said. “Without their generosity, we would not be able to continue sustainable efforts for preserving land and providing parks and recreation for members of our wonderful community.”
In addition to their generosity, the Browns were also known for their community activism. Judy Brown played a pivotal role in the revitalization of downtown Greenfield and served on the committee that drove the building of the Courthouse Plaza, Gibble said. She was also responsible for creating Concerts on the Plaza, a Friday night summer concert series that continues in downtown Greenfield today.
The couple were members of Greenfield Christian Church, where they would regularly deliver children’s sermons.
A celebration of Herb Brown’s life was held at the church on Saturday, Feb. 8. According to those who knew him, it was a life well-lived.
A lifelong farmer and “cattle whisperer,” Brown earned a Ph.D. in swine nutrition from Iowa State University in 1959.
An animal lover who felt most at home while outdoors on his farm, Brown worked as a research specialist at Elanco for more than 30 years before retiring in 1993.
He enjoyed playing softball, basketball and running in his younger years, and camping and canoeing with his son Scott.
With the loss of such a pillar of the community, Rupley seems to sum it up best for those who knew him. “Herb was just such a great guy,” she said.
