The Rev. Alan S. Brown, 70, of Lancaster, died Monday, April 13, at Brethren Village of complications related to Parkinson’s Disease.
He is survived by his wife, Connie, with whom he shared 47 years of marriage.
Born in Harrisburg and nurtured at 29th Street United Methodist Church, he was the son of the late William and Doris Ubil Brown.
Alan was an ordained elder in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church and served on its Board of Pensions and its Board of Ordained Ministry. He served Otterbein Church in Lancaster from 1964 to 1987 and Grove Church in West Chester from 1987 to 2001. In retirement, he was actively involved in Grandview Church in Lancaster and worked part time at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Strasburg and at Willow Street United Church of Christ and as chaplain on the trauma team at Lancaster General Hospital.
Alan was a graduate of John Harris High School, Dickinson College, and United Theological Seminary, from which he won an alumni award for effective ministry.
Alan served on the board of Planned Parenthood of Lancaster County and was also actively involved in the work of Planned Parenthood of Chester County. Under his leadership, Otterbein received Planned Parenthood’s Margaret Sanger Award.
Alan cared passionately about peace and justice and about creating a more fully inclusive church. He enthusiastically supported the work of the United Methodist Committee on Relief, the Reconciling Ministries Network, and Methodist Federation for Social Action.
His favorite place was the family cottage on Sweet Arrow Lake in Pine Grove. He also loved to vacation in Jamaica.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by these children: the Rev. Andrea Brown and her husband, Tim Buckwalter of Lancaster and Scott Brown and his wife, Jennifer of Hereford AZ; four grandchildren, Zoe, Thea, Jakob and Carter; and his sister, Janice, married to the Rev. David Fisher of Millersville.
A memorial service will be held at Grandview United Methodist Church, 888 Pleasure Road, Lancaster, at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 18. The family will receive visitors at the church at 10 a.m. and at a lunch following the service. Interment will be private in the church’s memorial garden.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish to make a gift in Alan’s memory are encouraged to choose one of the causes that meant a great deal to him, including the local church (specifically, Otterbein, Grove or Grandview) or the National Parkinson Foundation, 1501 Northwest 9th Ave., Bob Hope Rd., Miami, FL 33136.
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