David Brown

David Walker Brown 1/16/26 – 5/27/19

David Walker Brown was born the third son of Maud Alice Hubbard and John Warner Brown in Temple City, California.  At the age of six months, he left the United States with his parents to live in China for the next nineyears while his father managed the Shanghai American Bank.   After his parents’ divorce in 1935, he returned to the United States, living in Temple City until 1943 when he moved to Kansas City to live with his father.  He graduated from Pembroke Country Day School in 1944. After high school graduation he joined the United States Merchant Marines, circumnavigating the globe twice during World War II.

In 1947 he enrolled at the University of Kansas and that spring, on a blind date, he met Patricia June Fischl.  They became engaged on their second date and married less than three months later on August 1, 1947, and that union lasted 71 years, 10 months. She survives him.

During the course of their marriage, they lived in California, Missouri and Texas.  Dave was redrafted during the Korean War and joined the Air Force, which took them to San Antonio, Texas. It was in San Antonio that he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Trinity College.  Dave was very proud of his 6.5 years serving his country during World War II and the Korean War.

Upon completion of his tour of duty there, he joined the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, which eventually took them to Kirksville, Missouri where their only child, daughter Alison Ann, was born.  Southwestern Bell returned them to the Kansas City area, and Dave pursued his master’s in Economics at UMKC.  He taught Economics at Park College for several years before joining the City of Kansas City as City Treasurer.   Eventually he became the Division Manager for the Consumer Services Department of the Kansas City Water Department, from which he retired in 1982.

Dave was not defined by his professional life, however.  His avocations were his passions.  Dave was an avid reader and had an incredible depth of historical knowledge.  He could answer just about any query on the Civil War, English history, the American Revolution or either of the two World Wars.

He was an avid golfer and single-handedly “ran” the City Hall Golf League during the 60’s and 70’s.

Dave became interested in military miniatures during the 70’s and formed a company called Bivouac where he sculpted, painted and cast lead military miniatures.

In the 1980’s his interests turned to Traditional Celtic Music.  He was the founder of the Missouri Valley Folk Life Society and played in two Celtic Bands, Talisman and Scartaglen.  Most notably he co-hosted the nationally syndicated, award-winning, NPR radio show, Ballads, Bards and Bagpipes.

His latest passion was computers.  He was a self-taught expert on FileMaker Pro and formed Database Associates, which built custom database platforms, specializing in programs for small periodicals.

Dave fulfilled a lifetime goal to write a book in his 90’s; in fact he wrote two!  He self-published his first book, The Scholars of Mantua, at age 91 and his second, Spying on General Price, at age 92.

Dave was pre-deceased by his parents Maud Alice Hubbard Brown and J. Warner Brown as well as his two brothers,Robert Alison Brown and Justin Warner Brown.

Besides his wife Patricia, Dave is also survived by his daughter, Alison Brown Paddock; son-in-law, Steve Paddock; two grandchildren, Brandon Paddock and Mallory Paddock; sister-in-law Hertha Ida Brown; and nieces Laura M. Brown and Michele D. Brown.

A celebration of Dave’s life and memorial service will be held at Elmwood Cemetery, 4900 E. Truman Road, KCMO, in the Chapel, on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.   Burial of cremains with military honors will immediately follow the service.

Memorial contributions may be made to KCUR Radio or to The Pembroke Hill School.