Joseph E. Brown, Jr.
Joseph E. Brown, Jr., age 94, of Hamden, CT and St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, passed away suddenly on June 6, 2018. Born in Hamden on May 2, 1924, he was a son of the late Joseph E. Brown, Sr. & Rose Civitello. Joe was predeceased by his former wives, Thelma (Taylor) Brown and Martha (Leake) Brown. He was a U.S. Army Veteran and a retired Clerk for the U.S. Postal Service. Joe was also a founding member of the Ulysses S Grant Foundation at Yale University. His companion and love of over 40 years, Marva F. Grate of Hamden and St. Croix, survives him, as do his children: Peter L. Brown & his wife Kelly of Boston, MA; Roger E. Brown & his wife Catherine (Fitz) of New Port Richey, FL; and Lisa L. Brown Williams & her husband Raymond of St. Croix. He also leaves behind his grandchildren, Keturah, Michael, Tim, and Wil, his great-grandchildren, Olivia and Eliana, and his sister-in-law Ardis Mitchell of Hamden, plus several extended family members, including: Lydia Sealy Hayes of Brooklyn, NY; Gerald Grate & his wife Valerie, Gerard Grate & his companion Diane, Gregory Grate, and the late Gail Grate, all of CT; and James Freeman of Mattapan, MA. Joe is also survived by his best friends Arthur & Theodora Glover of New Haven and longtime friend & neighbor James Brown. He was predeceased by his brothers, Nicholas and William Mitchell. Joe enjoyed being a snowbird on the island of St. Croix for over 30 years and leaves numerous friends and family members there, with special acknowledgment to the Byron family of Grove Place and his Questa Verde ladies. He was well known for his unique sense of humor and for being a witty and charming guy. His funeral and burial are being held privately by his family. Arrangements by Beecher & Bennett Funeral Home, Hamden. Contributions in Joe's memory are asked to be made to the Wounded Warrior Project at www.woundedwarriorproject.org, or to www.21USVIDuncanRelief.org (a hurricane relief organization established by Tim Duncan to assist VI residents impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria).
