LEICESTER, MA — William Ruble Brown passed way Thursday, January 3rd at the Boston Medical Center. Born October 31, 1926 in Truman, Arkansas to Jessie (Dunaway) and William Ruble Wesley Brown, Bill was one of 8 siblings raised by his parents alongside his 6 cousins.
Bill was a three war veteran (World War 2, Korea and Viet Nam) of the United States Air Force who worked hard in service of God, his family and his country. Bill was a quiet man, a hard worker who never complained and never gave up.
As a young boy of 4 or 5, Bill joined his parents working as day laborers and migrant farm workers in Missouri picking cotton. By the time he was 10 Bill was making half adult wages along with his sister Opal. By the time he was 12, Bill was making full adult wages by himself and helping to support his family. As farm workers, Bill’s family lived and worked on farms in multiple places, including, Paragould, Dogskin, Braggadocio, Steele, Caruthersville, and Holland.
In 1942, at age 16, Bill was recruited into the military while he was a student at Holland High School. Bill left for service at age 17. Bill’s father had been sick when Bill left, and it was a financial burden for the family. As soon as he joined the service, Bill filled out an allotment that went to his mom and dad, which financially supported his family. Throughout his military career, whenever Bill was in the state and had leave he would go home to help out with work and whatever was needed.
Bill enjoyed his military training and life. It was all new for him. He used to go into the mess hall and marvel at the food. He kept thinking what his mother could do if she had all that food to cook with. Bill’s first base transfer after training was in Panama. During this time Bill was exceled at playing ping pong and was even champion at the base.
In July 1955, Bill married Jean Whitehead in Champagne, IL. Children quickly followed. His daughter Carol (1956) and her brother William (Bili) Harold (1956) were both born while they were in Illinois. Katherine (1958) was born in Mississippi. Then came Robin Ruble (1960) and Perry (1963) in Limestone Maine.
Bill was a faithful father, making sure that his children had an opportunity to succeed in life. When one of his kids showed an interest in something, Bill was very proactive and supportive, getting them the lessons and equipment that was needed. He is also remembered as an endurance traveler. Bill drove his kids to countless baseball games and piano lessons, waiting for hours in the car watching a tv that plugged into the cigarette lighter. Bill never tired of waiting for them, and was always willing when they needed a ride. Bill was also proud of their education.
The time spent in Maine were some of the hardest years. In Maine, Bill worked on B52 bombers, maintaining the electronic armaments. At that time the US had bombers in the air 24/7. The hours and work were grueling.
Things changed when Bill and his family were transferred from Maine to the Philippines. This was one of Bill’s favorite duty stations. While in the Philippines, Bill was finally put on regular flying status. Where he went and what he did remained a secret. When asked what he did during the wars, he would just say it was classified. Bill had too much integrity to talk about things he did while in the service.
After the Philippines, Bill and his family transferred to South Carolina to Shaw Airforce base. The weather was good and the beach was close. Bill enjoyed both. Bill had been a Sargent for a long time by now. In his time off he enjoyed sports. Bill was a great pitcher, and over the years he was on several softball teams. He also enjoyed bowling and had a few perfect games. In South Carolina in 1968, Bill suffered a career-ending heart attack. Bill’s service ended in 1969-1970 with a medical discharge. Bill did not want to leave the service, he was pushed out.
Bill first took his family home to Missouri, but when he could not find work, the family moved to MA. No one would hire someone who had a heart attack. Bill eventually found a job at National Radio, but they soon declared bankruptcy. Bill then worked at the Railroad yards downtown Boston as a spare. Bill was called in whenever it was cold, raining or snowy out.
Bill began work at Digital Equipment Corporation around 1974. Here Bill rose through the ranks from a Tech III to a Senior Tech. Later, he was transferred to the Test Engineering department and worked as a Test Engineer. As a Test Engineer, Bill built and maintained the testers for different computer boards and the training manuals that went with them. A man of few words, he was able to write training papers that were easy to understand. Bill also taught employees who had to use these training documents.
Bill met the love of his life Linda while working at the Digital Equipment Corporation in Maynard, MA. His children were grown and his marriage had fallen apart. Bill met Linda when he was assigned to teach her machine language programming and how to troubleshoot computer boards. They became friends because they shared so much in common. Since Linda was working alone to support her family, Bill helped when he could, even surprising the family with a trunk loaded with fruit and nuts at Christmas.
In 1983, when Linda’s husband left, Bill stepped in to help and offer support to her and her four children. Bill was a constant in their lives ever since. Bill and Linda were meant to be together from the start. Both had been married before and loved the children they had during those marriages. Both had been disappointed in love, but none of that mattered once they decided to be together. Bill was so proud when she became Linda Brown, and enjoyed introducing her as his wife Linda Brown.
Bill was always there, always taking pictures, always proud of the family’s achievements. After Bill retired, he had more time to spend with the children. Just as he had taken his first 5 children to practice and lessons, now he was doing the same for his next set of children. Track and field, baseball, football and soccer practice, skateboarding events, cheerleading, Operation Friendship, whatever the occasion, Bill was there for what he considered to be his sons and daughter. Bill was there for every graduation, 8th grade, High School and College. Bill drove to Lake Placid to watch luge events, to New Hampshire to watch Supercross competitions, went to countless church and DEAF ministry events all over Southern New England, and was there for multiple races. Bill would go wherever he needed to go and do whatever he needed to do to support the family. As much as possible, this support was extended to his grandchildren. Bill would always show up when invited to his grandchildren’s baseball games, plays, musicals or school events.
Bill taught the kids many things. He taught that you should not ask for help until you first tried to do things for yourself. His children say now they can fix cars, do home repairs, work on all kinds of equipment because Bill showed them how to first try on his own.
Over the years Bill enjoyed numerous family vacations with a pop-up trailer and vans that Bill had modified to make the whole family comfortable on the road. There were trips to Natural Bridge, Myrtle Beach, The Great Smokey Mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway, Big Spring and tubing down the Current River, Hot Springs, Crater of Diamonds. On the first trip, the family put over 10,000 miles on the van and saw every state east of the Mississippi (except Florida) and even went to Canada to Niagara Falls.
Bill had many interests. Bill liked playing games around the table, and he loved winning. Bill was a checkers master. He enjoyed shopping at Lechmere and Sears, buying the latest tech equipment, playing with his Yorkie dogs, watching sports. Bill loved all types of music. He would whistling a happy tune through his teeth while working. Bill loved a good meal. He loved a good 16 oz prime rib end cut or a t-bone steak. He loved cherry pie and Breyers Vanilla ice cream. Bill loved going for a ride and stopping for breakfast or supper along the way. He enjoyed fall foliage trips, a drive along the coast, day trips or longer trips.
Bill loved to garden. Bill would plow the garden plots, fertilize, mulch, dig holes, plant, water and weed by the hours. It never mattered how hot the day or how buggy the evening, Bill was out working. He loved being close to the earth. At harvest time, Bill picked blue lake green beans and tomatoes by the bushel. As he grew older, the garden became smaller, but he loved the time spent outside.
Bill’s life changed when he gave his life to Jesus and decided to be baptized at 89-years old. Bill loved Jesus and enjoyed going to church. On his own, Bill studied the Bible and made a complete decision to follow Jesus. When Pastor Van Sailo asked Bill if he would like to be baptized, Bill said yes. It was a private personal decision. Pastor Sailo asked Bill to say something to the church during the baptism ceremony. Bill spent hours writing those 2 pages. Each word was chosen with care. He wanted to be a witness. Bill was proud and thrilled to let people know he was a believer.
Once he was baptized, Bill’s commitment never changed. When the Sabbath began, Bill would turn off the TV and go into the kitchen for worship. On Friday nights, Jessica and Dave would come over and after supper the family would sing songs and have worship together. Bill looked forward to worship and the Sabbath and even when he was sick. This was a way to mark the days and weeks. When you spend a lot of time in the hospital, it is easy not to know the day of the week, but when you remember the Sabbath, you always know.
Three years ago, Bill was diagnosed with the terminal illness (amyloidosis) and given just two months to live. Bill was a fighter. He proved the medical professionals wrong time and again in their predictions of his imminent death. When the doctors recommended that Bill give up and go on hospice, Bill never even considered it. Bill wanted to live. When he was asked if he wanted a DNR, he would always shake his head and say NO. Bill planned on living.
Bill did spend a lot of time in the hospital. His visit to Boston Medical Center was his 10th hospital stay since May (the first 9 were at UMASS Memorial Hospital). In 2018 alone, Bill was hospitalized for a bacterial blood infection and pneumonia, viral pneumonia, low sodium, a blood clot that needed surgery, a septic shoulder that needed surgery, a fall, congestive heart disease and finally renal failure. But Bill never gave up. The doctors sometimes gave up, but with God’s help, Bill fought on. Bill endured faithfully, no matter the odds. Bill fought so hard that his body finally just gave out, not his spirit.
Bill a remarkable man, a faithful and loving son, a protective brother, a lover of all 9 of his children, willing to do all he could for any of them. He was a wonderful, strong husband and companion.
Bill leaves behind his wife Linda of Leicester, MA; his 5 children, Carol Kelley (Neal) of Wenham, MA, William H. Brown of Manchester, MA, Katherine Brown-Barstis of Manchester, MA, Robin Brown of Endicott, NY, and Perry Brown (Suwan) of Seattle, WA; as well as his other 4 children, Ron McGowan of San Francisco, CA, Daniel Kumada-McGowan (Colleen) of Watsonville, CA, Aaron McGowan (Janean) of Truckee, CA and Jessica McGowan Smith (David) of Worcester, MA; his siblings Thomas Leonard Brown of Naylor, MO, Tennie Delores McCoy of St. Louis, MO; and 14 grandchildren, Devon Kelley, Meghan Kelley, Jessica Barstis, Corbin Barstis, Ian Kelley, William H. Brown II, Chackgarin Brown, Jessada Brown, Janejira Brown, Ooh McGowan, Killian Kumada-McGowan, Kaili Kumada-McGowan, Cannon McGowan and Jordan McGowan; along with several cousins, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William Ruble and Jessie Elnora (Dunaway); and siblings, Eunice Vertrue Sutton, Jessie Opal Gestring, Martha Evelyn Brown, Marjorie Helen Adams and Kenneth Lyle Brown; and grandson Matthew Kimble-Sanders.
A viewing hour will be held at 10:00am on Monday, January 14th at the Gardner Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 100 Colony Road, Westminster, MA, followed by funeral services at 11:00am at the same location. A committal service will be held at 2:00pm the same day in the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 111 Glenallen St., Winchendon, MA. A Repast will follow at 2:30pm at the Gardner Seventh-Day Adventist Church.