Obituary of Frederick Warren Brown

Frederick Warren Wong Brown, 91, of Astoria, Oregon, passed away on January 24, 2024.

 

Fred was born on November 23,1932 to Jue Shee and Kee Wong Brown in Astoria, Oregon. He grew up in a large family of two sisters and five brothers. His family’s work was centered on the salmon canning industry which was central to the Chinese community at the time in Astoria.

 

Fred served 3 years in the National Guard during his high school years and, upon graduation from Astoria High School, enlisted in the Air Force, serving 4 years as an airplane mechanic. He went on to study at Portland State University for two years eventually graduating from Oregon

State University in 1962 with a BS in Industrial Engineering. He and his brothers Phillip, Richard, Calvin, and Tom still hold the record for the most graduates in one family from the OSU School of Engineering.

 

After graduating he started his first job at Boeing as an industrial engineer and then moved to Rocketdyne in Southern California where he worked on gyros for the NASA space shuttle that landed on the moon in 1969. He and his family eventually moved back to the pacific northwest

and lived in Portland, Oregon. Fred worked as a manufacturing engineer for several companies in the Portland area for the remainder of his career, retiring in 1994. He spent most of his retirement in Astoria, OR.

 

Outside of his career, Fred coached Little League softball from 1974 to 1982, coaching his last team (daughter Alison’s senior softball team) to second place in the 1982 Little League World Series. He was a lifelong hobbyist, working with stained glass as well as building and flying

radio-controlled model airplanes. He was a member of the Lower Columbia R/C Society, Astoria Oregon. Fred could fix anything, loved his cars, and exercised regularly to stay healthy. He especially enjoyed spending time on the Astoria River Walk, walking and greeting friends along

the way, or simply sitting on his favorite bench, gazing at the mighty Columbia River. He liked playing slot machines at the casinos in the company of his siblings and/or grown children. Fred was easy-going and enjoyed a simple life. His brothers were his best friends, and he enjoyed spending time with his extended family, including sisters, nieces, nephews, as well as children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

 

Fred is survived by his wife of 29 years, Debbra, and four children (from previous marriages), eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Children are Jeff (Kathryn) Modun, Michael Brown, Tracey Brown and Alison (Don) Lovell. Grandchildren are Nicholas (Amy) Modun,

Justine (Avery) Amberson, Thomas Shanklin, Aaron Brown, Roxana Daliana, Eva Daliana, Alex Lovell, Olivia (Zack) Robinson. Great-grandchildren are Bijoux Ciasullo and Noah Robinson. Survivors also include ex-wife, Marilyn Brown; sister, Mabel (George) Mendoza; sister-in-law, Agnes Brown; and many nieces and nephews. Fred was predeceased by brothers Yen Wong, Phillip Brown, Richard Wong, Calvin Brown, Tom Wong and sister, Betty Wong Miller.

 

Interment will be at Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, Oregon. No public service will be held.

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