James "Jim" Donaldson Brown

James "Jim" Donaldson Brown (85) died at his home in Stratford, NH on September 28, 2020.

Jim was born in New York city on August 15, 1935 to William Gordon Brown and Isabella Hay Dean Brown who raised him together with his beloved Grandfather, Charles Merrill Dean. In 1961 he married Alta Chase from Augusta, ME. They had three sons, Jeffery Gordon Brown, Timothy Linwood Brown, and Russell Myers Brown.

Jim graduated from Cornell University in 1958 and did graduate work at New York University. During his business career, he worked for Bamberger's, a division of Macy's, Irving Trust, Warner Lambert Pharmaceutical, Monsanto, United Shoe Machinery, and Folger Consulting. In 1977 he founded his own consulting firm, Northern Consultants, located initially in Bangor and later in Hampden, Maine. As an Executive Search and General Management Consultant, Brown served corporate clients primarily in the Plastic Machines Industry in the United States and in Europe and also in the Paper Industry in Maine and New Hampshire. As the paper mills began to close, Jim was often called upon for his expertise in assisting displaced employees to find new employment opportunities. He also shared this gift pro bono with friends and neighbors throughout his career.

Jim was known for his deep love of fishing and hunting-especially fishing. As a kid, he was put on probation and eventually left the Gunnery boarding school in Washington, CT. for "fishing too much. . ." He began fishing The Willoughby River in Vermont for the annual rainbow trout run in the Spring of 1961, and soon developed a deep friendship with The River and other kindred spirits that he met along the way. He and Chris Meehl met up at the Tractor Pool on Chris's first time fishing the river in 1983. A veterinarian from Lynnfield, MA, he and Jim found much in common and began a friendship that has lasted for more than thirty-five years. Jim's love of the Willoughby, the Northeast Kingdom, and the North Country in New Hampshire eventually resulted in his relocation with his wife, Alta, fulltime to Stratford. In the Hollow" out on the Bog Road, Jim and Alta and their three sons (Jeff, Tim and Russ), found friends and neighbors, especially among the Stone family, to last a lifetime.

While living in Maine (1975 to 1999) Jim brought home the venison twenty-three of twenty-four years. Lots of grouse to Alta, too. In 1987, he began to breed and sell Labrador Retrievers gaining a reputation, over thirty years throughout the Northeast for his beautiful, mellow, black and yellow Labs.

Jim's life was further enriched by his friendships with some of the Boston Bruin hockey players. Several were neighbors in Boxford, MA and when they learned of Jim's prowess as a fisherman, sought him out to take them fishing. Most notably, John Bucyk, Bobby Orr, Jimmy Lorenz, and Gregg Sheppard with whom a lifelong friendship was developed. After Gregg retired, Jim frequently went to Saskatchewan to visit and fish with Gregg. From these friendships grew a great love of hockey that was continued in Maine with the University of Maine Black Bears Hockey coach, Shawn Walsh, and his team. For many years Jim could be seen and heard in the front row of the balcony at the Alfond Arena in Orono wearing his black bear skin coat, his hockey hat with all of his accumulated hockey pins and ringing his bell for the Black Bear Hocky Team.

In every community in which he lived Jim participated in community service projects. In Boxford, MA (1965 to 1975) he was a member of the Ad Hoc committee that built a new police department. In Hampden, Maine, Jim was Chair of the Board of Trustees that built a new community pool and recreation center. He also served as chair of the Board of Directors for Unity College. In Stratford, Jim served as selectman, on the planning board and was a member of the Cohos Historical Society.

Jim was also known for his sense of humor and having "fun" in both work and play. Whether on the stream or at the hardware store, folks were left laughing and feeling better when "Jim Brown" stopped briefly by. Jim's love of the outdoors and fishing & hunting experiences are reflected in his book, "In the Woods and On the Water," published in 2011 by Shires Press in Manchester, VT.

He is survived by his wife, the Rev. Dr. Alta Chase, his sons, Jeffery Brown (Kelli Craig Brown), Timothy Linwood Brown (Philip Chao) and Russell Brown (Jennifer Perry Brown), as well as three grandchildren, Lydia, Owen and Fiona Brown and two step-grandchildren, Steven Harris (Lynsey Nava) and their daughter, Lilah, and Katelynn Harris Fraser (Richard) and their daughters, Hailee and Olivia.

Memorial visiting hours will be held Saturday, October 3, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Bailey Funeral Home in Lancaster. A graveside service will follow the same day at 2:30 in the Center Cemetery, Stratford. Reverend Richard Boyden, pastor of the Christ United Methodist Church in Lancaster, will officiate. . Attendees are asked to wear masks and respect social distancing.
Donations may be made in his memory to North Country Home Health & Hospice Agency, 536 Cottage Street, Littleton, New Hampshire 03561


Donations may be made in his memory to North Country Home Health & Hospice Agency, 536 Cottage Street, Littleton, New Hampshire 03561