Community editor remembered as good storyteller

To the editor: It grieved me terribly to learn of editor Bill Brown’s death. He was a very special part of Allegan County.

It still does not seem real to me. I know I am not the only person who will feel a little sting—when I buy The Allegan County News, turn to Page 4 and not be able to read his “Some Thoughts On…”

While I certainly did not agree with all Mr. Brown’s thoughts, I appreciated them as the thoughts of a man who loved his country, had experienced a lot in life and was incredibly fond of Allegan County and its people.

I think one of the reasons I liked Brown so much is because he, like any good newsman, liked to tell stories. And he had some good ones.

Brown related stories that told of a true American experience—of ball games, new cars, small towns, the perch at Wally’s Bar and Grill and waiting for a sports superstar for an autograph.

Talking to Bill Brown was like talking to a Norman Rockwell painting and Robert Frost poem come to life.

Part of the loss I feel is for the people who never got to stop in on him at his office just to say “Hi.” I used to love stopping in and asking, “How ya doing Mr. Brown?” The response was always the same, “Not bad for an old guy” often followed by a little chuckle. And from there, the talk would ensue.

Bill was very forgiving. Once, my campaign sent out a rough draft press release to the media. As an English teacher, I was personally embarrassed to see the draft had gone out instead of the final copy. When the story appeared in the paper, it had been “cleaned up.”

Not long after the story appeared, I ran into him.

“Gosh Mr. Brown, I feel awful about that draft going out,” I said.

“Oh, it wasn’t that bad at all Bob,” he said in his raspy voice and with a straight face, which must have been tough.

He had a great sense of humor, too. A friend and I were once talking about Bill Brown, and I told her, “He is just a sweet, old, grandfatherly type guy. You just want to give him a hug.”

My friend must have been closer to Brown than I knew. When I saw Brown a few weeks later, he said, “Don’t you just want to give me a hug?” and he smiled.

I visited Mr. Brown last Monday, and I knew he wasn’t doing well right away. I asked, “How ya’ doing Mr. Brown?” and I didn’t get the response I had heard so many times before. He said he felt lousy, in his own way. I felt bad because I hate to see anyone in pain.

My family and I extend our thoughts and prayers to Mary and Bill’s entire family. I will miss Mr. Brown. He was a good man.

Bob Genetski
Saugatuck