Lawrence Lee Brown

Lawrence Brown was born in Los Angeles on May 16, 1937 to Ardelle Taylor Brown and Cyrus L Brown.

As he was entering Junior High School the family moved to Auburn, California, moving later to Loomis and a ranch setting. The family included his parents, his younger brother Timothy, and their Grandmother, as well as Mike, the cat. He graduated from Placer High School. He continued his education at the University of Utah for a year and a half, then returned to Loomis, then Auburn, finishing at Sierra College. He completed his last two years at Sacramento State College with a degree in History.

Subject to the Draft, he enlisted in the Naval Reserve, meanwhile working for the State of California. On a trip to San Francisco with friends, he met his future wife, Mary Alice Trahern. In September, 1961, he was called to active duty and reported to San Diego for basic training. On a visit to San Diego at Thanksgiving, Mary and he decided to be married in December during his scheduled leave. The wedding took place at All Saints Episcopal Church on December 16, 1961 His Navy assignment was to an Oil Tanker, the Mispillion, out of Long Beach, CA., and included a six months at sea touring the Far East. Following his active duty, the couple remained in San Francisco, and Larry completed his Navy service with a medical unit at Oak Knoll Naval hospital. He had found employment teaching at a small private high school in Burlingame, the Moore School, commuting from their home in San Francisco. Two years later their first daughter was born, Mary Kathryn, Katie, and the decision was made to move back to the Sacramento area.

An anticipated job opportunity fell through and a job hunt began At a bridge party, his Mother heard of an opening at Rocklin School, 7th grade. Since his teaching credential was only a ‘partial fulfillment’, employment required that he return to school and complete the required education units for a full credential. The next few years he attended college, Sacramento State, while working full time in the classroom His second daughter, Megan, was born 19 months following their move to the Sacramento area.

The couple moved to Rocklin, where the family continues to live. He spent forty years with the Rocklin School district, which, at that time of his hiring, consisted of two elementary schools, up to 8th grade. He first taught 7th grade, later moved to 5th, then taught a 4, 5, 6 comprehensive class for several years until his retirement.

Within a year he was asked to return to the Rocklin School District and establish the GATE program. He continued to teach full time for another three years. In his second retirement he became interested in a group of orphans in Nepal and began to support their educational journey. This involved many trips to Kathmandu where he remained active in the community for several years.

During the years in Rocklin, while his daughters were in high school, the couple became involved with “Youth for Understand” and accepted five exchange students for a year each, to complete their high school education at Roseville High School. All are considered members of the Brown family and contact with them continues to this day. The couple also traveled extensively to Europe, Australia, New Zealand and parts of the United States and Canada, until recent years.

After several years of declining health, Larry died in hospice care in Sacramento, on July 28th, 2023. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Mary, his daughter Katie Valdivia (Pedro), grandchildren Olivia and Pedro, his brother Timothy (Raelynn) of Chicago, Il, many nieces and nephews and several cousins, as well as the hundreds of students who benefited from his forty years in the classroom. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his daughter Megan. Services are to be held at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Auburn, CA on September 30th, at 11:00 am, reception at the church to follow. Internment will be at the United States National Cemetery in Dixon, CA the following Monday. Remembrances may be made to a charity of your choice, preferably one that provides services to children.