Edward Joseph Brown Jr.’s eight-year heroic journey with lung cancer has ended. On Oct. 10, 2025 heaven welcomed him with open arms. He was a devoted father, husband, grandfather, brother and friend to all. His comedy enlightened everyone he met including all his nurses, doctors and hospital staff members. His wonderful attitude and generosity was an inspiration to everyone he knew. Our hearts will never be whole, but our memories will never fade.
He was born in 1954, the oldest of four, to Edward and Claire Brown, on the family dairy farm, in the small Village of Florida, N.Y. He attended the S.S. Seward Institute with a graduating class of 39. He attended Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondack Mountains and transferred to Cornell University where he graduated with an Agronomy Degree. He left the comfort of the farm after college to work at Monsanto Agricultural Chemical Division where he met Elyse, his wife of 41 years. His success there lead him to many management positions, mergers and recruitment to Sandoz, Cyanamid Corporation, American Home Products Company, and BASF Japan. After moving many times, from La Crosse, Wis., to St. Louis, to Baton Rouge, to Chicago, to Sparta N.J., to Tokyo, Japan; he finally retired to Southport where he dabbled in real estate, helped a seed company in Jersey Shore, Pa. helped with maintaining the family farm and his beloved hunting camp. He was a great marksman and loved his “Band of Brothers” hunting buddies.
He was preceded in death by his parents Edward and Claire Brown, his uncles: Ken and Ira (Dorothy) Youngman, Vince Brown (Eleanor); and Aunts Mary Sicina (Tony), Dot Cocaro (Al), and Brenda Ferrara, mother-in-law, Kathe M. Slonim and father-in-law Dr. Arnold Slonim.
He is survived by his wife, Elyse; his son Erik, his daughter Jessica McCarthy, son-in-law Ted McCarthy and the love of his life: 3 year old grandson, James; Sister Karen Glade (Andy), Brother Steve (Debby), brother Tom (Amy), brother-in-law Chuck (Barrie), sister-in-law Susan (Arnie), Aunt Stella Youngman, Uncle Jim Youngman (Marilyn), and many cousins, nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
A celebration of life and funeral will be held in Albany, N.Y. at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lower Cape Fear Life Care, https://lifecare.org/donate/; UNC Cancer Hospital, Chapel Hill, https://unchealthfoundation.org/initiatives/cancer/; Temple of Israel, Wilmington, https://temple-of-israel.org/donate-pay/.
Online condolences may be made at www.peacocknewnamwhite.com.
Peacock - Newnam & White Funeral and Cremation Service, Southport, N.C.