FALMOUTH- Richard Henry Browne died peacefully amongst family in Falmouth, Maine on October 3, 2018. He was a lover of words: a journalist, a writer, a storyteller, an editor, and a bibliophile.
Rich was born in Glen Ellyn, Illinois on May 30, 1949 to Robert Finney and Lela Elsie (Johnson) Browne. Rich grew up in Tustin, California before attending Kansas State University (’74) and serving in the United States Navy Reserve. His service to his country continued for twenty years in the United States Army National Guard. He was a veteran of the Gulf War.
Rich worked in the newspaper industry for nearly thirty years, starting as a staff writer and progressing to editor of a daily newspaper. He was mobilized for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm while working for the Fayetteville Observer in 1990, and he became the editor of the Desert Dragon and the Dune Tribune while deployed with the 382nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Although he received multiple journalistic awards and military honors during his careers, his most valued award was a plaque given to him by his soldiers in the Mortar Platoon, HHC, 5-112 Armor, 3rd BDE, 49th AD upon his departure from the unit. He was a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Guard Association of Texas (life member), Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion.
He was predeceased by a brother, Robert Charles Browne, and a sister, Janet Elizabeth Browne. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; his brother Allen (Nancy); his daughters Jennifer (Steven) Rush and Christina (Christopher) Humphries; his step-children Chantel Trudelle and Nelson Trudelle; his six grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Morgan, Quinn, Addison, Gage, and Brent; and his faithful canine companion, Jasper. Rich will also be forever remembered by his nieces and nephews, Heidi (Greg) Connelly, and his friend Albie Tkacz.
The family extends their gratitude to their friend Mary Mackay and staff of Hospice of Southern Maine, including David Carey, Jessica Cathcart, David Heald, Kim Rexrode, and Marie Roy.
Visitation will be held on Monday, October 8, 2018 from 11 a.m. – noon, followed by a noon service with military honors, at the Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service Chapel, 498 Long Plains Road (Rt. 22) in Buxton, Maine. The family invites friends and family to a reception following the service at 25 Andrews Avenue, Falmouth, Maine. The burial will be a private service on a later date at Southern Maine Memorial Veterans Cemetery, Springvale, Maine.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Rich’s memory to:
DAV - Disabled American Veterans
Post Office Box 14301
Cincinnati, Ohio 45250-0301
www.dav.org
or
Hospice of Southern Maine
180 U.S. Route 1
Scarborough, Maine 04074
www.hospiceofsouthernmaine.org