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The Citizen, 2010-10-07, Page 21THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2010. PAGE 21. Bev Brown, who died Sunday,September 26, 2010 at her home inStratford had a force of personalitythat made her unforgettable toeveryone who came in contact withher. She spent the latter half of her 80 years in Huron County, leaving her mark on many organizations, including the founding of this newspaper. She was born on June 20, 1930 in Toronto, the daughter of the late Marcus and Helen (Smith) Brown. After getting her early schooling in Toronto, she attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, then graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she specialized in personnel administration. She was working for the Cryovac Division of W. R. Grace & Co. of Canada, where she rose to the position of supervisor of the customer service department, when she met co-worker Jean Moorby. The two became friends and learned they both shared interests in animals and the outdoors. They dreamed of buying an outfitters camp in Temagami, but with the scare in the late 1960s about mercury in fish they turned in another direction. searching for a farm between Orangeville and Lake Huron. They became acquainted with George and Elizabeth Procter and accepted an invitation to spend a weekend at Bodmin Farms to learn about the pig business. Soon after they bought a farm in Turnberry Twp. which they called B & J Acres. They took a professional approach to raising weanling pigs to ship toother producers, seeking out the bestfoundation stock and expert advice.Though many doubted they’d last,they established a solid reputationfor having healthy weaner pigs. Later they switched to supplying breeding stock. Brown delighted in their nickname: “The Pig Ladies”. As the more outgoing of the partners, Brown soon became involved in the Turnberry Twp. Federation of Agriculture, and from there with the Huron County Federation of Agriculture, serving on the executive. At the provincial level, she worked on the resource committee of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. In the late 1970s, she was the first woman on the advisory committee for the agriculture business management course at Centralia College of Agriculture Technology and several times lectured at the swine workers’ course on the psychology of pigs. In 1978 she became a member of the founding committee of the Town and Country Homemakers, serving for three years as chair. When A. Y. McLean of The Huron Expositor bought The Rural Voice farm magazine in 1978, he created an advisory committee of agricultural leaders to help guide the direction of the magazine. Brown was one of these along with Sheila Gunby. When McLean later decided to sell off his various publications, Brown and Gunby became partners with Brown selling the advertising and Gunby editing. In 1981 Brown and Moorby decided their swine operation was becoming too difficult for them to manage so they got out of pigs. For a couple of years Brown worked at The Rural Voice before her partnership with Gunby ended. Moorby became ill with cancer and died in Mexico in February 1984 with Brown by her side. When Brown returned to Huron County she was approached by McLean who had been asked to act as editor of the Huron County Historic Atlas. She took on the job of co-ordinator for the project, guiding the massive project of its completion. Among her staff there was Jill Roulston and when Roulston and her husband Keith were organizing (along with Sheila Richards) the community-owned newspaper The Citizen, they asked her to come on board to be advertising manager. She was so successful in selling the debut edition that the staff, rusty from several years of non-involvement in the newspaperindustry, barely managed to get thethick paper out on time.Over the next two years hercompetitive drive to always exceed her sales goals helped the newspaper get off to a booming start. After leaving The Citizen she worked for the Huron County Health Unit until her retirement. It was when she was based in The Citizen’s Brussels office, she decided to make Brussels her home, selling the Turnberry farm. She became an active part of the community until ill health prompted a move to Stratford two years ago. At the centre of her life in Brussels was the Brussels Mennonite Fellowship where with her usual enthusiasm she became an integral part of the church, involved in such events as the 10,000 Villages craft sale. The auditorium at the Mennonite Fellowship was filled on Saturday, Oct. 2 for a memorial service with many people stepping forward toshare their memories of thememorable woman. Many noted thatthough she never had children of herown, she took such an active interestin the lives of their children that she influenced their futures. One of these was theatrical performer Craig Fair who sang and performed at the service with his father Sandy and brother Shawn. The service was officiated by Pastor Herb Sawatzky, her pastor at Avon Mennonite Church in Stratford and Pastor Brent Kipfer, her former pastor at Brussels Mennonite Fellowship. Beverley Adele Brown is survived by her sister Helen Joanne Holmes of Corpus Christi, Texas. She was the aunt of Tracy Mistler and her husband Michael of Overland Park, Kansas and Lauren and Forrest of California. She was the cousin of Pat and her husband Bill Zeigler of Akron, Ohio. She was predeceased by her parents, her bother “Buddy” Marcus L. Brown III and her cousin Mary Kiernan, California. Business Directory Affordable CAR AND TRUCK RENTALS Large & Small Trucks fridge carts - piano dollys- moving blankets Complete Selection of Cars Our rates qualify for insurance replacement Passenger Vans full size or mini STRICKLANDS 344 Huron Rd. 519-524-9381 GODERICH 1-800-338-1134 P.O. B OX 127 145 MAIN STREET EAST LISTOWEL, ONTARIO N4W 3H2 PHONE: 519-291-3040 Fax: 519-291-1850 Email: wuca@w-u.on.ca Visit our website www.wardanduptigrove.com TRUCK & TRAILER SERVICE Hours: Mon. - Fri. 7-5; Sat. 8-1 • Light Truck, Automotive Repairs & Certifications • Truck, Trailer & Bus Safety Certifications • All Heavy Truck & Trailer Repairs BLYTH 519-523-9681 1-800-276-4163 24 hours 519-524-0599 Truck & Trailer Repair Facility Supplier of quality parts for trucks, trailers & equipment ~ Light truck & automotive parts ▼▼▼▼▼▼ NEW CONSTRUCTION AGRICULTURAL RENOVATIONS RESIDENTIAL C a l l 519-527-1538 Tarion Home Warranty Builders ZAHND REAL ESTATE LTD. BROKERAGE P.O. Box 38 Listowel, Ontario N4W 3H2 Claude Robin Broker 519-887-6205 Kurt Keller Sales Representative 519-236-7874 www.zahnd.on.ca JAMES BROWN PHARMACY 198 Josephine St., Wingham, Ont. 519-357-1629 Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9 - 6 Sat. 9 - 4 Rear Parking Available Delivery available TREE SERVICE • Tree Trimming & Removal • Aerial Buckets • Snow Removal • Stump Grinding & Removal Free Estimate 24 Hour Emergency Response Cell 519-525-1601 ON $6.00 THURSDAYS Drop into either of our offices any Thursday with your word classified (maximum 20 words) and pay only $6.00 + HST (paid in advance). That’s $1.00 off regular rates. The Citizen Here Comes the Guide! Getting married? In a wedding? Mother of the bride? Visit our website for all things bridal! www.northhuron.on.ca (click on Brides In Huron) Bev Brown was an indomitable force in Huron BE A FACE IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER BECAUSE CANCER IS IN YOUR COMMUNITY, SO ARE WE. Open your door and give generously when a Canadian Cancer Society volunteer comes knocking this April. www.cancer.ca HELP US MAKE CANCER HISTORY.