From the June 1973 Sundial News
Dr. Ralph Brown 1891-1973
The Rev. Dr. Ralph Clinton Brown, professor of Bible emeritus at West Virginia Wesleyan College, died unexpectedly May 18 in Buckhannon. He was probably the best known United Methodist minister in West Virginia.
Although he had not been well enough to participate in some of the graduation activities at Wesleyan, his death was unexpected when he was stricken at his home on Island Avenue.
Dr. Brown entered Wesleyan Academy in March 1910 and received his A.B. degree magna cum laude in 1915 and a bachelor of sacred theology degree from Boston University. He was awarded an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Wesleyan in 1940. In 1952, he received the alumni award.
Dr. Brown was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Buckhannon and a member of the West Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.
In 1969, Dr. and Mrs. Brown celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in the Chambers Lounge at Wesleyan.
In 1970, a classroom in the Stanley H. Martin Religious Center at Wesleyan was dedicated to Dr. Brown. He was past president of the West Virginia Philosophical Society and the Buckhannon Rotary Club.
Dr. and Mrs. Brown and their four children were all graduates of West Virginia Wesleyan, and he was an active member of the Emeritus Club at Wesleyan.
Dr. Brown was born December 6, 1891, at Fetterman, .Va., a son of the late Robert M. and Ellen Jane Bonner Brown.
Surviving are his widow, Phyllis Perrin Brown, two sons, Ralph C. Brown, Jr. of Garland, Texas, and Dr. David Robert Brown of Chapel Hill, N.C., and two daughters, Mrs. M.M. (Ellen Lou) Aulds of Oxford, Ohio and Mrs. Richard (Mary) Pryor of Dayton,Ohio; 14 grandchildren;; one brother, W.T. Brown of Olean, N.Y., and two sisters, Miss Maude Brown and Mrs. Jessie Brown Wolfe, both of Grafton.
Funeral services were held at Dr. Brown’s home with the Rev. John E. Hanifan, the Rev. Ross Linger, the Rev. W.S. Patterson and the Rev. Eugene Modlin of Alderson officiating. Interment was in Buckhannon Memorial Park.
The family requested that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Brown Memorial Fund ad West Virginia Wesleyan College.
Note: The officiating ministers at his funeral were all former students.
- John E. Hanifan (1924)
- Ross Linger (1933)
- W.S. Patterson (1924)
- Eugene Modlin (1927)